


Distance

by Angellips999



Category: Hana Yori Dango | Boys Over Flowers (Anime & Manga), 꽃보다 남자 | Boys Over Flowers (Korea TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:04:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 67,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27400123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angellips999/pseuds/Angellips999
Summary: Definition of distance1 : the quality or state of being distant: such asa : spatial remoteness; a physical distance between two locationsb : personal and especially emotional separationGa Eul and Yi Jung’s four years apart was spent marking time. Will the 7 hours in time and 7,000 kilometers in distance make them closer or will it finally push them apart?It is in times of separation and distance that you truly understand the meaning of love. Tiffany HealthComplete - December 29, 2020
Relationships: Chu Ga Eul & So Yi Jung, Chu Ga Eul/So Yi Jung
Comments: 42
Kudos: 51





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> *Disclaimer: All characters and the world in which they occupy belong to Yoko Kamio, and are trademarked for use by her, including the Korea adaption and commercial. This is a work of fanfiction for entertainment only and not part of the official storyline.
> 
> This story contains lemons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: This fanfiction chapter is a rendition of the Samsung Anycall Commercial 2009 and is for entertainment purposes only and does not belong to me.

_“Distance is just a test of how far love can travel.” – Unknown_

June 2009 - Korea

Yi Jung was working on a new vase. It was extremely frustrating with his damaged hand, but _she_ had challenged him to use it and he found he couldn’t refuse the challenge. He was heading to Sweden shortly to do just that, to attend a new physiotherapy program at GIH, the world-famous Swedish School of Health Sciences. He also was going to study with Berte Johansen, a master with the Folkhem concept of ceramic art at the Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts, and Design in Stockholm. There were techniques to learn, and the Scandinavians used a sandstone mixed with non-white clay, quartz and feldspar making opaque extremely resistant ceramics which he was looking forward to work with. Johansen himself used a method of glazing using several layers and a mixture of melted silver and ceramic oil to create works of art. It was all very exciting.

His phone rang and he glanced at the number. It was his Grandfather, Chairman So Yoon Hee. There was no choice but to answer it and he was told to show up tomorrow at the museum to see the chairman. There was no need to respond verbally, he just listened to the message from his grandfather’s secretary and hung up, sitting there staring at the vase on his wheel. 

Great, yet another obstacle his grandfather was throwing up before he was allowed to leave for Sweden. He was due to go in less than a week and now the head of the So family was yet again questioning the programs he had enrolled in and the need for him to go abroad. Yi Jung smacked the vase he was working on in frustration, destroying his work. There was no avoiding it, he’d have to go once more and make his case to be allowed to study abroad.

The one rule of his social class was to never go against your parents, or in his case his grandparent. You could live in a magical golden jet-setting world as long as you fulfilled any expectations the head of the family had of you, including learning the family business and putting aside any dreams or career aspirations of your own. It really was just a glamorous gilded cage, no matter how you looked at it. The children of the 1% lived in a world where you attended the carefully selected schools as directed, had only the friends that were chosen for you, and willingly entered arranged marriages which were more like the merger of assets rather than a wedding. Just look at what Jun Pyo’s witch of a mother had done to him when he dared to fall in love outside of their stratified social class. 

Fortunately, his friends, the F4, had always had each other since kindergarten. However, their golden bubble had been burst wide open by one Geum Jan Di, the girl with the flying kick, who had exposed them all to wants they never knew they had and dreams of freedom, of living their own lives uncontrolled by their parents. It had made Yi Jung determined to follow his own path, and that path was taking him to Sweden.

“Oy, your biorhythm is a little off today.” A voice broke into his thoughts and he turned to glare at a green frog puppet looking around the corner at him holding a pink phone. It was followed by a girl popping out behind it, a huge smile on her very pretty face. Chu Ga Eul had apparently dropped by to visit. He sighed. 

She was the _only_ person who _ever_ entered his studio without invitation other than Woo Bin. Even Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo knocked first, just in case he was entertaining other… guests. He had to admit that he liked that she was so comfortable that she felt free to just drop in without knocking any time she wanted. It spoke to how close they had become, how deeply she had infiltrated his very small, very exclusive, and intimate circle of friends. Sometimes it had led to some _extremely_ uncomfortable discussions with one another, but they were necessary for _both_ of them. He had to admit that he had begun to bring home less and less ‘friends’ since he met her, finding it far more entertaining never knowing when Chu Ga Eul-yang would drop by to push him out of his comfort zone. He had only recently realized that he hadn’t been inviting _anyone_ out over the past couple of months, preferring to just flirt while out at the night clubs and bars, go out with only his friends or simply stay home. He knew it was due to her. It was both frightening and freeing how clearly she saw behind his mask.

“Sunbae, our biorhythm is pretty good.” She bounced over to his side, holding her phone out in front of him and showing him her screen. Sure enough, the phone was showing some sort of chart for both of them. He hadn’t thought that when he bought the two phones that they would have this… _couples_ app preloaded on them. 

He had purchased the phones and given her one so they could stay in touch when he moved abroad. She had put up a bit of a fight in the beginning, but then he pointed out that if they were on the same account there wouldn’t be international charges, and since he was buying one for himself, adding on hers was nothing. He had appealed to her frugal commoner side, and after he wore her down she had acquiesced in getting the brand new, state of the art phone, giving into his common sense. Apparently now she was having a lot of fun with her new toy, and he was pleased to have been able to convince her to allow him the very rare opportunity to buy something for her.

But this biorhythm app…it was irritating to be honest, and he looked away in annoyance.

She looked at him, reading his mood as only she could, taking in the slightly pouty look on his face and the cold distance in his eyes.

“We should go out. Come out with me.” She pleaded, grabbing him by his arm and pushing him up and towards the door. Yi Jung smiled and allowed her to push him out. Her natural sunny personality would be sure to make him feel better. She always made him feel better in her presence. 

She had her scooter parked outside and hopped on, handing him a helmet. He looked at her in disbelief.

“Seriously, Ga Eul-yang?”

“Get on Sunbae, let _me_ take you out for a while.” She looked at him with those irresistible big eyes and her signature small pout on her full pink lips. “You are stressing about your move again. Let me take you out to forget about it for a little.”

He sighed again and got on. He couldn’t refuse her, not with him leaving in less than a week. He would go on her little adventure, he owed her that much.

Ga Eul grabbed his hands and put them around her waist. “Hold on Sunbae.” He could hear the grin in her voice and she took off. He found himself forgetting his troubled family obligations and decided to just enjoy the moment.

“Sunbae, have you ever ridden like this before?”

He was about to answer that he had never been on a scooter before, but Ga Eul was distracted and pointed at a couple wearing cosplay outfits. “Sunbae, look at that!”

“Ga Eul-yang, be careful!” He exclaimed as the scooter wobbled a bit as her attention was diverted from the road. He was still smiling though, she was so joyful and he could feel his bad mood melting away.

He casually placed his hand on her shoulder, and she glanced back at him and blushed. He pretended to not notice, looking away from her. 

She had brought him to the Namsan Stairs, surprising him. The last time they were at the stairs she walked away from him, determined to push him out of her life. Rightfully so, he thought with chagrin. He supposed that before he left it was a good time to revisit the stairs. It’s where he had wanted to reboot their relationship and take it to a new level, but he hadn’t had a chance to tell her that before she thoroughly rejected him and gave him her back, walking down the stairs away from him so he thought it rather karmatic that they were here today. They always seemed to go in a full circle the two of them, a push and pull constantly between them ever since they met. When one pushed the other pulled away and vice versa. They had a fragile understanding now, however. One he did not want to rock in any way.

Ga Eul put on a pair of goofy glasses and pulled him up the stairs, taking photos and hopping around. He couldn’t help but be pulled into her silliness and found himself laughing as she started taking pictures of herself making faces at him. He pushed her on the head, trying to get her to stop. Finally, she came close beside him in their playing and he snapped a picture of them together and she laughed at him, so he tried to flick her on her head as she held his hand away. 

“Sunbae!” She jumped up and ran off laughing. He couldn’t help himself, he got up to chase her and they were running up the stairs giggling and playing like children when she slipped. He grabbed her before she fell. He felt that sexual tension run suddenly through his body as they came face to face, her in his arms, the air sparking, and changing between them. He watched as her smile faded as they stared into each other’s eyes. He leaned forward and almost gave her a gentle kiss, imagining her lips soft beneath his. He caught himself before their lips actually met and straightened, flashing his signature sinfully sexy half-smile. 

“Careful, Ga Eul-yang.” He winked at her, watching her face blush and her eyes dart away from him in discomfort. She was such an innocent still, such an intoxicating mixture of sweet shyness and direct boldness, that he couldn’t help but tease her. 

“Sunbae?..” She had that bewildered wide-eyed look, and he could feel how she had tensed under his touch.

“What are we doing next Ga Eul-yang?” He let her go with one of his innocent sweet smiles, making the tension between them dissipate. 

She shook her head to bring herself out of her reverie. “I thought we would get some spicy ramen with kimchi and go up to the observation point so you could see the sunset over Seoul before you leave.”

“Sounds good.” He smiled at her, a rare genuine smile that only his true friends ever saw. It was a considerate thing to plan for him, and he was touched by the thought behind it.

They found themselves standing at the observation point in the hill overlooking the night lights of Seoul a while later. Yi Jung felt nostalgic and yet happy at the same time. His agitation had disappeared and he felt confident that he would control his meeting with his halaboeji the next day. He treasured the time he had with this girl, she had somehow wormed her way into his life and had always made him feel understood and heard. She knew the true him. To be honest she had seen him at his worst and she still stood beside him. 

“Ga Eul-yang, thank you for today. I owe you one.”

She laughed at him and took out her pink phone and grabbed his matching black one. She pretended to be a magician making him laugh at her tricks and she quickly put an app on his. He glanced at it noticing it was an SoS app. Great another couple’s app on his phone, but he didn’t have the heart to object. He found he didn’t mind these small ties that bound them together ever so slightly, indeed he desired them.

“If you save me when I’m in danger, then we’re even.” 

Yi Jung grinned at her and took his phone back. Suddenly his text notification went off and he turned away from her. “Give me a minute.” Checking his texts he took a few steps away. Sure enough, real-life brought him back to earth. New demands about his move abroad, this time from his mother reminding him that he would never truly be free, that spending days like this with Ga Eul were illusions.

“Yi Jung-sunbae, do you still…”

She had _that_ tone in her voice, and he turned back to her, cutting her off before she could get the words out. “Ga Eul-yang, just because we acted like a couple today, I hope you don’t get the wrong idea.”

He watched as the light died in her eyes, and she pressed her lips together before giving a slight nod and turning to leave. He stood watching her walk away from him yet again, wanting to run after her, to explain.

Dammit, he’d screwed up again. He’d asked her to wait for him, and he’d purchased them matching phones so they could text and talk while he was in Sweden, but he was afraid, so deeply afraid of clarifying their relationship. Four to five years was going to be a long time, if he made them an official couple he’ll rob her of the chance to find someone else, the chance to find her soulmate while he was gone.

Lord knows he wanted her, desperately, but he needed to tread carefully, to not expose her to his world and claim her as his, especially since he was planning to be gone for years and not around to protect her. She still had a chance to fly out of their world intact… if he could just leave their relationship open-ended. He couldn’t tie either of them down right now, and could just hope… Time would tell how they would end up.

Yi Jung found himself in his car, scrolling through the pictures he took that day. He tossed the phone to the side and decided to go home. It had been a fun day with Ga Eul, and he was going to miss her, a lot. Much more than she could imagine. She still had no idea just how important she was to him, and he’d have to keep it that way. If she was still available when he came back, when he had matured and grown enough to be a better man, then he’d ask her out her properly complete with the real dates she clearly so desired. Until then they’d have to remain friends. Good, close intimate friends in a strange grey area somewhere between platonic and romantic.

His phone started to beep in an SoS alarm from that damn app she had added to it, and he picked it up to check it out. He flicked the phone open and there was a map with a GPS showing where he had left Ga Eul. He had let her walk off in the night by herself and he felt his heart sink. Quickly he turned the car to head back to where she was, letting the GPS guide him. 

He came to an underpass and his blood went cold when he saw her surrounded by four men. He could tell they were speaking to her, and she seemed to be shrinking into herself clutching her phone to her chest. He watched as one reached out and flicked her long hair making her jump back from him and found himself infuriated. How dare they touch _his_ Ga Eul.

He pulled up beside the parked motorcycles that obviously belonged to the men who surrounded his girl and honked his horn to get their attention. They turned and stared at him and the one in a white jacket who had flicked Ga Eul’s hair approaching his now parked car and slamming his hands on the hood.

“What? What the fuck is this?” he yelled at the tinted windows of Yi Jung’s car.

Yi Jung opened the door and got out of the car. He could hear Ga Eul’s voice exclaim “Sunbae!” in the background, but his focus was on the men in front of him. He reached into the back seat and pulled out the bamboo Mok Kum that he luckily just happened to still have in the car from his Kumdo practice with Woo Bin earlier that week. He quickly gave them all a few smacks sending them to the ground.

“You… who are you?” One gasped from the ground.

“For now, you can call me her bodyguard.” He looked over at Ga Eul who was watching with huge eyes, a slight tremor on her lips. He quickly went to her and pulled her to his side to guide her to the car.

“Ga Eul-yang, are you okay?” 

She smiled shakily at him and nodded, and looked down. On the ground was Yi Jung’s phone where it had dropped while he was beating the guys that had harassed her.

“Oh! Sunbae’s phone.” She picked it up looking at it in shock. The wallpaper was a candid picture of herself laughing and holding up her hands and she watched as it changed into another picture of her, this time of her smiling gently at something in the distance. When had he taken these pictures? Why did he have them as his wallpaper on his phone? She gasped, looking up at him. “Sunbae?..”

“It’s not like what you think.” Yi Jung snapped out, snatching the phone from her. He couldn’t believe she had seen that he had set her pictures as his wallpaper, and he marched to the car his agitation showing in every step. “Get in, I’ll take you home.”

He didn’t see Ga Eul smile at his back. She knew that it was exactly what she thought it was. Never mind his words, his actions were the ones that spoke truth to her, and his actions weren’t ones that were pushing her away.

“Thank you, Sunbae.”

***

It was a couple of days before he was going to leave. Ga Eul hadn’t seen Yi Jung since that day when she’d taken him out. To be honest, she had been avoiding him, his latest rejection stinging. He confused her at the best of times, and she found the mixed signals even more difficult to deal with. First, he had asked her to wait for him, then he had said yet again for her to not misunderstand, they were not a couple. She intended to see him off at the airport but just wanted to process his words and actions for herself before then so she wouldn’t embarrass herself at that time.

She was at the studio where her classes took place, working on a vase. Cha Eun Jae had given her permission to stay after hours to work on her ceramics. She found working the clay to be relaxing and it allowed her to settle her mind and emotions.

She was concentrating on her project when her new pink phone started to beep an SoS alarm. Startled, Ga Eul picked it up, forgetting to wipe her hands clean. The only person she had connected with that SoS app was Yi Jung, and there is no way he’d ever need to send her an SoS. She flipped it open, sure enough, it was from him… Why… no how could he possibly be in trouble and need her?

Without thought, she jumped up and grabbed her coat, leaving the half-finished vase on the wheel. He must need help with something… had he been drinking again even though he had said he would not? Had he had an accident with his car, he always drove his Lotus so fast after all. Oh god, what if he were hurt? 

She grabbed a taxi, directing them to where the GPS was showing where he was located. She couldn’t see him when she hopped out, looking around for his bright orange Lotus or his deep red Caddy. She then remembered he had pre-shipped the Lotus to Sweden. What had he been driving last? Wasn’t it a silver-white Benz convertible? Was that it? How many luxury cars did one man need? Seriously?

Suddenly she heard her name and turned to see the Benz with a brown monkey puppet sticking out the driver’s side window.

“Ga Eul-yang, why are you so late? I’ve been waiting for you.” 

Confusion and relief clashed in her head. “Sunbae, what’s going on?”

He just grinned at her and motioned to the seat beside him and she smiled back and got in the car. Immediately he offered her a single red rose.

“Ga Eul-yang, you’re not going to stay by my side anymore?” He gave her his gentle panty-melting smile. The one he knew she was helpless to resist.

“Sunbae.” She smiled back, all her doubts flying away at the look in his eyes. She took the rose and buried her nose in it, centering herself before looking back at him. The air between them grew thick again, sparking and charging and she felt herself lean towards him as he took her lips with his. He kissed her fully this time, a gentle yet sensual kiss that made her tremble slightly, just their lips touching, holding them together. 

Finally, they broke apart, and looked at each other, both realizing that their relationship had shifted yet again, that they were far more than just friends.

“I wasn’t guarding you, you were always guarding me.” Yi Jung said to her, and he smoothed his hand over her hair, acknowledging how she had dragged him back from the edge of self-destruction out loud to both of them. “I’ll miss you, Ga Eul-yang.”

“I’ll miss you too, Yi Jung.” She gave him a watery little smile, holding back her tears. Why had she avoided him this last week before he was leaving? She likely wouldn’t see him for four years from now.

“We’ll talk. Every week we’ll video chat.” He told her. “Promise me.”

“Of course, Sunbae.”

He leaned over again, this time his hands framing her face as he pulled her into another deep kiss. He kissed her with a hint of desperation, knowing that this would be it, they’d have to hold onto this kiss until they met again which would be a very long time. He had no intentions of doing anything more with his Ga Eul before he left, it wouldn’t be fair to either of them, but a real kiss between them was as necessary as air. He suddenly realized that he was counting on her _not_ finding her soulmate while he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boys over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango) was published from 1992-2003 and spans 18 months. 
> 
> Boys over Flowers Jewelry Box is a one-volume sequel that was published in 2008 and takes place 1 year after the end of the original manga.
> 
> Boys over Flowers Next Season takes place two years after the end of the original manga and covers a new group of elitist students called the C5 at Eitoku (Shinhwa) High School, serialized from 2015-2019.
> 
> The Korean adaption of Boys over Flowers was released in 2009. The reason I mention all of these is that I have used material from all of them to work on this story, as well as from the Samsung Anycall Bodyguard CF, with Kim Bum and Kim So Eun playing their BoF characters and the F4 After Story featuring the Korean F4 showing them five years later filmed in 2009, which is 25-minute short video. 
> 
> The mangas make it clear that although living in separate countries Domyouji (Jun Pyo) and Makino (Jan Di) not only spoke regularly over phone and by video, they also met occasionally during their four-year separation both in Korea and abroad (France, Italy, and the US). He proposed to her the first time in Korea a little over a year after the end of the manga and was rejected, however his second proposal a few months later which took place in Italy was accepted. By the time of the Next Season sequel, they are engaged and she is staying with his sister in Los Angeles but returns to Japan with the Next Season C5 characters where the F4 including Domyouji meet her. I used this as a template for how the long-distance relationship would work for not only Jun Pyo and Jan Di, but Yi Jung and Ga Eul also as well as pulling on personal experience for a long-distance relationship in the 2010s. 
> 
> I used the Bodyguard commercial for the prologue, it’s a fun watch and feels exactly like a filler episode for the main show. The F4 After Story is the sweetest thing, it shows the F4 going to their Shinhwa High School private tutoring room and taking a little walk down memory lane five years after Jan Di’s graduation. With four very short episodes (one for each of them) blending scenes from the show and new footage, it includes Jun Pyo making chocolates for Jan Di and Yi Jung’s proposal which I totally used for my story.
> 
> I left what was in the Korean show itself intact, not leaning on the manga for that part (Jun Pyo’s proposal on the beach for example) because this fanfiction is for the Korean drama, not the manga, however, I did include scenes from the Boys over Flowers Jewelry Box such as the wedding in France, Jan Di’s accident and first rejected proposal in Korea for Jun Pyo and Jan Di. I did shuffle the characters around, for example, it was Rui (Ji Hoo) who was in Italy, not Sojirou (Yi Jung) in Sweden. 
> 
> I aged the characters beginning with their first appearance in the show/manga – the F4 being 18 and in their final year of high school and Jan Di and Ga Eul being a year younger and a grade behind in 2008 and 2nd-year high school students. Remember that in Korea they count age differently, considering a person 1 as soon as they are born, and at the first birthday their age is considered 2, however, I decided to ignore this. For example, this means that Jun Pyo was 19 (20 in Korea) when his mother announced his engagement on his birthday. For the most part, I used the birthdates for the characters in the manga, but I did shift a couple to make them fit with the storytelling.
> 
> As well, I followed the Korean academic year, which runs from March to the February of the next year with two eight-week breaks, December to January and July to August during which the Universities offer six-week sessions for more credits. The manga takes place over 18 months, and the show follows this timeline beginning with Jan Di joining Shinhwa and meeting the F4 in November and ending with her graduation which would be March a year and a half later. Finally, all technology (ie cell phones), cars, and fashion I left in the time period of the show until the 5 years after short which runs from 2008-2014.
> 
> I hope you enjoy :)
> 
> *Mok Kum is a Korean practice sword
> 
> * halaboeji is grandfather


	2. SIX MONTHS

_“Distance between two people is inconsequential when their souls are united.” Matshona Dhliwayo_

October 2009 -Sweden

It was 9 AM on a Sunday morning in late September and it was Yi Jung’s favorite time of the week. The agreed-upon weekly FaceTime with Chu Ga Eul. It would be 4 PM in South Korea and it was the perfect time to talk for an hour or so and still have an entire day ahead for him and the evening open for her.

They did text here and there other times over the half-year he’d been in Sweden, however, Sunday was the ‘scheduled’ time. Sometimes they ended up talking for hours, other times it was a quick 15 to 20-minute chat, but it was always looked forward to. He had no idea how, but he’d become wound around Miss Ga Eul’s little finger despite his best intentions.

Perhaps it was because she was the first female to see behind his mask, to recognize the frightened, vulnerable, and oh so damaged boy behind the cool, confident and sometimes cruel man he was. Perhaps it was because she was the first woman that he ever considered a friend, a real friend. He found he could open up to her in a way he couldn’t with even his F4 friends. He admired that she could be brutally honest with him, but at the same time didn’t judge. She also encouraged him, pushed him, supporting him emotionally when he needed it. She made him feel as if he had someone in his corner at all times, something he desperately needed when news came from home, or he was frustrated with his lack of progress with his rehabilitation or his art. She was such a contradiction of shy innocence and fierce confidence. He knew he didn’t deserve her, that she was way too good for him.

Girls had always just been puzzles to solve for him, ever since his first sexual experience at the age of thirteen when he had managed to seduce an older girl he had gone about solving them. He had a gift for discovering just what a certain girl needed to hear or how they wanted him to behave. He enjoyed the challenge of the ones who were a bit resistant, puzzling through their responses to him until he found their key, and opened them up for his own pleasure. Oh, he was very careful to make sure to avoid those girls that he called ‘good girls.’ The naïve and innocent ones who believed in falling in love and happily ever after. Girls that he would break. 

Ga Eul was one of those girls, waiting for her soulmate to appear, but for some reason, he couldn’t walk away from her. No matter how many times he tried, he always found himself going back to her, using the flimsiest of excuses that came up, telling himself it was because Jun Pyo and Jan Di needed him to get Ga Eul involved in helping them. She was a difficult puzzle, but not impossible to solve, but he also knew that he could so easily break her, and it frightened him to think about hurting her. 

He had once told Jun Pyo that they were alike, that they hurt the women that they loved and the truth in those words terrified him. Especially with his family history, the torturous marriage of his parents, his deep fear that he was just like his father, and the way he had lost Eun Jae, but Ga Eul kept coming back to him, pushing her way in, challenging him to become better and to live better, turning his life upside down and forcing him to think about why he was the way he was. He found himself reevaluating, rethinking and finally rebuilding himself because of her… _for_ her. 

Before he realized it he had developed deep feelings for her, feelings that he had thought impossible to have for any woman and couldn’t imagine her not in his life. When she had walked away from him on the Namsan Stairs it wasn’t she that broke inside, it had been him. That is when he made the decision to become good enough for her because he was broken and dirty and she was pure, and God knows he wanted her, fully and intimately and completely his, and not just for a night or a week or even a month, but forever. He had fought hard against it, but he had completely fallen hard for the first time in his life, to a common normal little girl with big brown eyes and a huge heart that she wore openly.

To be honest, though, he kept his feelings secret and their relationship purposely vague… friends but something more… Never defining it as being a couple, he was not her boyfriend and she was not his girlfriend. At least it was never said aloud, however, he knew that was exactly what they had become despite the seven hours and seven thousand kilometers between them.

He’d only really kissed her twice before leaving for Sweden and she’d become so much more than just a friend at that moment. They were more than friends, but not quite lovers. She was now the most stable relationship with a woman that he’d had in his entire life, including that with his first love and former crush, Cha Eun Jae.

Yep, Ga Eul-yang was his girlfriend, but he’d never admit it out loud. Not now, not here, and certainly not yet.

“Sunbae.” Her voice called him to attention as her face came up on his laptop screen, her lips lifted in her beautiful smile. He loved her lips, how they naturally curled up in the corners, how they created the sweetest of pouts when she didn’t notice. How they twisted in disdain when she was taking him to task for some apparent character flaw or bad behavior. How they called him ‘Sunbae’ in such an intimate tone that it meant so much more than an honorific. He would love to hear her calling him ‘Sunbae’ in bed, her voice husky with need, and those lips swollen from his kisses. He quickly shut that thought down, thinking that it had been far too long since he’d last had sex. 

He was committed to waiting, however, even if none of his friends would ever believe it. She wasn’t a girl to take lightly and, although they were nowhere near being intimate in their relationship _yet_ , he couldn’t imagine that she’d be accepting of him ‘dating’ other women. Lord knows he wouldn’t be if she was going out with another man, knowing that he was lying to both of them when he left her open to find her soulmate. He was willing to wait though, she was totally worth it. 

“Ga Eul-yang.” He smiled back at her, happy to see her face and hear her voice.

“Sunbae, you must tell Woo Bin to stop trying to kidnap me…” That adorable pout now graced those plump pink lips.

“Kidnap?”

“Yes, he tried to drag me to some nightclub last night saying I’ve been studying too much. You know how much I don’t like clubbing.”

“Clubbing huh?” Why would Woo Bin try to drag his Ga Eul out clubbing? She wasn’t the kind of girl you could play with and everyone knew that she was unofficially his, didn’t they? 

“I think he’s lonely,” she continued.

“Hmm?”

“Well, Jan Di and I both started college and Ji Hoo is busy all the time studying for med school entrance. Both you and Jun Pyo are abroad. He’s going to college as well, but he doesn’t seem as… invested in studying as the rest of us and he’s been working in his family business lately. He has nobody to play with.”

“I’m sure he has lots of playmates.” Yi Jung flashed her a sinful smile, his dimples flashing.

“Sunbae!” She exclaimed, color flooding her cheeks.

“What, I’m right.” He loved that blush. “He’s surely not lacking company.”

“Not _that_ kind of company.” She looked adorably flustered as she blinked at him. “He misses his friends. He’s been coming around the porridge shop a lot as well lately.”

Yi Jung frowned at that. He never considered that his best friend would want to hang out with Ga Eul. This was apparently a problem with their ambiguous relationship status, he had left it purposely as such so that she could meet and date other men, and yet at the same time, he felt deeply uneasy with the idea of another man around her, including one of his best friends. Ga Eul was so not Woo Bin’s type though. She was all pure and innocent, a real good girl, not the Don Juan’s specialty of older experienced women who knew the score.

But then, Ga Eul-yang wasn’t his type either and had somehow managed to slip in under all his walls. The thought made him shift uncomfortably as she continued to chat on about her courses at Seoul National University where she was studying to become a teacher and about work and about Jan Di and he told her about his adventures in Sweden since they last spoke. He’d have to come clean to Woo Bin he thought reluctantly. There was no way he wanted to get involved in the kind of triangle that Jun Pyo, Ji Hoo, and Jan Di had created.

Before he knew it they had talked for over an hour and logged off to go about their respective ways. He was still smiling when he closed his laptop. Their weekly chats really were the highlight of his week.

He picked up his phone and called Woo Bin.

***

“Yo, bro.” Woo Bin greeted him in English before switching to Korean. “How’s it going in Sweden?”

“It’s been great so far.” Yi Jung answered, feeling at home hearing his buddy’s voice. F4 was his family, so much more than the one he got at birth. They were more than blood to him.

“How’s your hand therapy coming along?”

“Slowly. Much slower than I thought. But I’ve just been here a few months.”

“Take it easy on yourself, bro.” Woo Bin’s voice was smooth and comforting. “Give it time.”

“I heard that you’ve been hanging out with Chu Ga Eul lately. You tried to take her out clubbing?”

“Really? You’ve heard about that from her already?” Woo Bin’s voice had a laugh in it.

“Ga Eul clubbing? Really Woo Bin?”

“She looked like she needed a bit of fun.” He could hear the teasing note in Woo Bin’s voice now. “All that girl does is work and study. Seriously, she’s almost as bad as Jan Di.”

“But Chu Ga Eul?” Yi Jung asked. “Why Ga Eul?”

Woo Bin could hear the tone in Yi Jung’s voice that he only ever had when he spoke about Chu Ga Eul and was glad that he couldn’t see the smirk on his face as he answered. “F4 has always been my crew, always been enough, but recently bud, it’s feeling really small.”

“But… Ga Eul?”

There was an edge to Yi Jung’s voice that made Woo Bin choose his words very carefully for maximum impact. “Yo, she’s lonely too. Why not take a cute girl like her out? I’m single, she’s single. I mean you two are just friends right?”

“Not really.” Yi Jung gritted out, feeling the tick in his jaw jump.

“What?” Now Woo Bin was playing with his friend. He, more than anyone, knew about Yi Jung’s obsession with little innocent Miss Ga Eul. “You mean you’re _not_ friends?”

“I mean she’s not a girl to play with.”

“I know that. Who says I’m playing?” This was way too much fun, Woo Bin thought gleefully.

“Woo Bin! Ga Eul is… special to me.” There he said it. Surely that made it crystal clear.

“Is that so?” Woo Bin drawled, amusement clear in his voice.

Dammit, Yi Jung thought. Baited and caught. It was clear that Woo Bin knew all along how he felt about Ga Eul by the amusement in his voice.

Woo Bin laughed into the phone. “Relax, bro. I know. I’m just being a friend to her, nothing more.”

Yi Jung sighed deeply, feeling relieved for some reason. “Fine, let’s leave it at that.”

“But you know, bro, you should take the time to prepare.” All laughter was gone from Woo Bin’s voice.

“Prepare? For what?”

“Just think about what that witch did to Jun Pyo. Do you think the old man won’t do the same to you?”

A chill swept through Yi Jung. Of course, he would. The patriarch of the So family, his indomitable grandfather, Chairman So Yoon Hee would as sure as hell employ every trick Madame Gu had used against her son and Jan Di against him and Ga Eul and more. After all, he was a former independence fighter and was known to employ dirty tricks to get his way. 

He needed to look no further than his own parent’s tortured arranged marriage or his brother’s removal as the So heir when it became apparent he was less desirable, less talented, and a good deal more rebellious than his younger brother. Apparently endless womanizing and self-destructive drinking wasn’t enough to get removed from the family tree, but challenging the old man and refusing to do what he wanted was. 

Luckily for his own health, the excessive drinking and sexual addiction had been brought to a full halt due to one small commoner girl who could see through all his walls and masks right to his very soul. He was now a former playboy who had been brought to his knees by a pair of big brown eyes, and she had no clue how much she had challenged him, had made him face his demons and changed him, how she had _saved_ him. There was no way he’d allow his grandfather to drag him back to hell with his demands.

“I guess… it’s time for me to prepare for that.”

“We both should.” Woo Bin stated. In their golden limitless world, there was only one rule. Never defy the family head. “The only one of us that is safe to live as he wants is Ji Hoo, and only because his parents are dead and he’s already inherited their wealth. His grandfather is pretty cool too and won’t mess with his life so he’ll never be cut off that way.”

“In some small way, he’s luckier than the rest of us.” Yi Jung sighed. How could someone who was orphaned at the age of five in a horrific car crash turn out to be luckier? They were all so frigging damaged, Jun Pyo was the spoiled perpetual man-child yanked about by his witch of a mother on her whims and abandoned and isolated at all other times, as if he were an abandoned toy. Ji Hoo was silent and depressed at the best of times, suffering severe social anxiety that he hid behind a mask. Woo Bin, although his father never denied him anything, would be expected to take over the family business whether or not he wanted to, including the very illegal Korean mafia parts, and continually felt insecure, not good enough to hang with the rest of the F4 from ‘good’ families. As if the families of the chaebol were ‘good’, hell they were dirtier than the mafia. He, Yi Jung was warped and twisted by his parent’s tragic marriage and his own fear of true intimacy. Funny how they would have never realized how damaged they were before one small firecracker of a girl, Geum Jan Di, invaded their ivory tower.

“Jun Pyo has his problems under control now, but you and me, man, we should diversify and invest outside of our family businesses. We should make sure that if need be we don’t need them.”

Frigging brilliant, Yi Jung thought. He had plenty of his own funds available, money from his trusts, an _extremely_ generous inheritance from his mother’s late father, and stocks that had been settled on him throughout his childhood. Why not ensure that his cash flow was fluid and his assets were protected. He should protect himself from any possible discrepancies in his managed funds and securities.

“Let’s do that,” he agreed. “We should work on this together.”

He had around four years before he returned to Seoul. Slowly, bit by bit, he would untangle his finances and shift as many funds as possible from the So Family into his control, so that if the worst came to happen and the old man balked or tried to force his hand or control how he wanted to live his life he could walk without feeling any monetary loss.

Hanging out with commoners had turned all F4’s views upside down in so many ways. Jan Di had forced them to re-evaluate the things they expected as a given in their social class. Oh, he’d still gladly fulfill his duties to the family as the So heir and future chairman, but he refused to be owned by it. He did want to run the world-famous Woo Song Museum and all its assets eventually, but if it was torn from him he’d be fine. He’d take this time now to become fully independent so it would be a fait accompli by the time he returned. He’d do it so slowly that the old man wouldn’t notice. If he ended up dating Ga Eul he’d be bulletproof. Regardless of whether it worked out with her or not, he wanted to be free.

“I want land and a home of my own to start.” He told Woo Bin. “I’ll let you find something suitable and hire the Song owned Il-Sim Construction to build.”

“I think I’d like that too.” Woo Bin stated. “I’ll start looking for us right away, but rather than my father’s company building for us, why not… So-Song Corp? I have some ideas I’d like to implement, building projects more suitable to us and my old man would be more than pleased to see me working on a project of my own and will let me use all the Song contacts and resources as I wish. You are minoring in architecture, right? With your artistic vision and designs, I bet we could come up with something really special. Between the two of us, we can bankroll a new company. We can be partners.”

“Brilliant. That sounds brilliant.” Yi Jung felt as if a huge burden was just lifted from his shoulders. He was happy as he hung up. This was a good thing, this development. If he played his cards right he would be free. He would be able to take his ball and go home if his grandfather wished to play hardball with him. He’d still be independently wealthy and untouchable, not to mention of age. There would be no way for his grandfather to force him into anything, like Jun Pyo’s mother had done by using her men to physically force him to where she wanted. It was perfect. He smiled to himself.

***

November 2009 – South Korea

Ga Eul tapped her pen against her lips as she looked over her course selection for the Winter Break. If she took classes during the Summer and Winter Sessions which ran 6 weeks each she could graduate with her diploma a whole year early. As well the extra sessions included internship opportunities which would look great on her resume and future applications. She picked up her phone and pressed a familiar number.

“Ga Eul-yang, hello.” His familiar voice greeted her.

“Sunbae,” she said, greeting him with just her nickname for him. 

“How are you? How is school?” Yi Jung asked, his voice so warm she could practically hear his smile.

“School is great, I’m not bothering you right now am I?”

“No, not at all. I’m just heading to my rehab appointment this morning, I have a bit of time.”

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m going to take classes during the Summer and Winter Sessions. I worked it out, if I do that I can graduate a whole year early,” she excitedly told him, he was the first person she thought of calling about her plans she realized.

“That’s great, will you give up your job at the Porridge shop?”

“Nope, I can keep my part-time hours. It will mean that I only get a couple of weeks at the end of December and the beginning of July as a break though,” she said, just talking to him made her feel settled into the decision. “But it’s not like I go anywhere anyhow, so that’s okay.”

“Ahh,” he had a sound of hesitation in his voice that she could barely hear. 

“Hah, you F4 don’t understand how us mere mortals live, Sunbae,” she teased him. “I mean I’m just a poor University student right now. If I graduate and get a job, then maybe I can take vacations.”

“You never know when opportunities will arise, Ga Eul-yang,” he said, his voice back to normal with that slight teasing tone he usually took with her. “After all, you are the best friend of the girlfriend of a billionaire.”

“Yah, right, Sunbae.” She rolled her eyes unseen by him but could hear the sarcasm in her own voice. “That means absolutely nothing, but I do love my Jan Di.”

“I’m just saying that Gu Jun Pyo has a way of dragging everyone and everything around him into his orbit. You never know what the next day will bring if you hang around with us, and you Chu Ga Eul are definitely caught in the orbit of F4.”

“Well, school comes first and I really don’t think I’m all that close to Jun Pyo’s orbit, Sunbae,” she said, but she understood what he meant, F4 liked spontaneity in their travels and adventures, and she had been dragged off on surprise vacations before. But those had been so long ago, it was hard to imagine they would happen again with all of them in Colleges or Universities all over the world. “My bus is here, Yi Jung-sunbae. I just wanted to tell you first. I have to go.”

“All right, talk to you later Ga Eul-yang.” Yi Jung was smiling on his side of the world as he hung up. A quick unexpected call from Ga Eul made the day seem brighter, and he was sure that it would make the tedium and pain from his physiotherapy session that morning seem that much less. 

***

December 2009 – South Korea

Ga Eul wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck as she walked down the snowy street. Although it was just past five in the afternoon, the light was muted from the heavy snow that was falling, and the sounds of Seoul were muffled. It was a rare Sunday afternoon when she didn’t have her what she called ‘weekly dates’ with Yi Jung since he and the rest of F4, her best friend Jan Di included, were in France for a wedding. 

She hadn’t been invited and would have been shocked if she had as she had never met the bride and wasn’t part of their elite society. Min Seo Hyun was a very close and important friend of the F4, especially for Yoon Ji Hoo, not to mention an international model, and the wedding was sure to be spectacular. They were all going, including Jun Pyo who was flying in from the US, making Jan Di giddy, although she was rather nervous as well. 

At least they’d be home soon, Ga Eul thought as she trudged through the snow. At least Jan Di, Ji Hoo, and Woo Bin would be. She wondered why she had chosen today of all days to go out to meet a couple of new girlfriends that she had met at University. She should have checked the weather, she thought with a sigh. Or not worn high heel boots. She hadn’t expected the rare early December snowstorm.

She could hear her phone buzzing in her purse, and fished around in it to pull it out not bothering to see who was calling.

“Hello?” The snow was getting in her eyes and she ducked under a store awning for some relief.

“Chu Ga Eul-yang.” That sinfully smooth voice greeted her. “Have you forgotten the time?”

“Sunbae!” she stuttered in surprise. “Aren’t you in France?”

“They have internet in France too, Ga Eul-yang.” He had an amused tone to his voice.

“I thought you’d have no time this week what with the wedding and all, Sunbae.” 

“Of course I have time, it’s the same time here in France as it was in Sweden. The wedding was yesterday.” His voice never failed to make her feel warm inside, even standing in a snow storm. “My question is why didn’t you come?”

“Why didn’t I come?” She was stunned at the question, had he really expected her to tag along with F4 and crash a wedding? “I didn’t get an invitation. I mean I don’t know the bride so I wouldn’t expect one.”

“It was very disappointing to find myself dateless at Seo Hyun’s wedding, Ga Eul-yang.”

“Well, Sunbae, if you wanted a date for that wedding you should have asked.” She rolled her eyes, happy that he wouldn’t be able to see them. “I’m sure there were plenty of options for a date in France though.”

“But they weren’t my Ga-Eul.” He spun a teasing note in his voice. “I didn’t want a different date.”

“Honestly, Yi Jung-sunbae, I wasn’t asked to go to France. Maybe you considered me, but I’m really not part of your circle,” she answered. The truth of the matter was that she would have loved to have gone with them, she had gotten used to being dragged on their traveling adventures as Jan Di’s best friend and the nominal additional girl to take to make sure Jan Di was allowed to go, but she also clearly understood that she was not one of them, not like Jan Di was. “As I said before, I wasn’t invited.”

The line was quiet for a moment and she wondered if the snowstorm had cut it off. “Sunbae?”

“I’m still here, Ga Eul. I was looking forward to seeing you.” She could hear the chagrin in his voice, he really did want to see her and was disappointed. It made her heart soar and a huge grin broke over her face. Again luckily he wasn’t able to see the pure joy that his words had made her feel. 

“And then I logged on today for our weekly chat, and who wasn’t there…” He continued, now chastising her making her feel guilty.

“I’m sorry. I honestly thought you’d be busy with your friends and the wedding. How was it by the way? Did Jun Pyo make it? Jan Di was impossible to deal with before she left. Did you have fun?”

“I’ll never be too busy for you, Ga Eul-yang,” he answered. 

“Sunbae… you can’t promise that.”

“Yes, I can. As for the wedding, it was as one would expect, extravagantly elegant and the bride was beautiful. Jun Pyo did make it, although a little late, and ended up kissing Jan Di in the church not realizing that we could see them. They did their regular arguing and making upcycle, this time over the fact Jun Pyo went behind her back and pre-paid for all of her costs for University at Shinhwa, including medical school.”

“Oh, good lord.” Ga Eul giggled on the phone, envisioning the couple in their latest fight. “That must have created some fireworks. I’m sorry I missed it. No doubt I’ll be listening to ranting complaints when she gets home now.

“Ji Hoo actually made it through better than we thought he would. It was _fun_ , and it was wonderful to get the F4 back together for a short while.”

“I’m glad. You guys should get together as often as you can.”

“You’re wrong though.” 

“What do you mean, Sunbae?”

“You are part of my circle.”

Ga Eul felt giddy joy flow through her at his quiet statement. “Sunbae…” 

“I have to go now Ga Eul-yang. Don’t miss our scheduled time next week.”

“I won’t Yi Jung-sunbae. Thank you for calling.”

Ga Eul hugged the now disconnected phone to her chest, happiness flooding through her, the snowstorm forgotten. Yi Jung had called her and had made it clear that those weekly chats were as meaningful to him as they were to her. He had told her she was important to him. She felt herself fall even deeper if possible in love with him. Being in love with him was dangerous though… but she pushed that truth to the side.


	3. ONE YEAR

_“Distance means so little when someone means so much.” – Tom McNeal_

January 2010 – Sweden

“So, Woo Bin asked me to help him with some offshore client’s place.” Ga Eul told him, her eyes sparkling on the screen. “You know that new condo tower he’s building?”

“Yes.” Of course, he did. It was the project that he was partnering with Woo Bin on. One of the projects they started together to shelter and protect their personal wealth, as well as to earn even more. Most of what they were doing was preparation for when they could really access their trust funds and stocks and bonds which would be soon with their twenty-first birthdays coming up, but the building of the new tower was going to be their first joint asset and was a start using money they both had readily available and by attracting investors. “I actually invested a small amount in that project.”

“Well, he has some hotshot offshore client who has purchased one of the penthouses and he asked me to help the designer make final decisions as a consultant.” She sounded animated and happy, which made him smile.

“Did he now?” He was glad she couldn’t see him in person at the moment, or she’d be able to tell how self-satisfied he was feeling. He knew exactly who the so-called _hotshot offshore client_ was, and was sure _he’d_ be pleased with any decisions she made.

“Yep, he offered to pay me as well, which frankly is insulting.” She threw him an exaggerated pout, reminding him of how those lips tasted under his so long ago. “We settled on dinner or lunch for my help. He does know the best places to eat, and it is fun to go out with him, so I figure that’s a win.” 

“Are you enjoying it?”

“Well, yes. I mean right now it’s just paint colors and color schemes. The designer brought six different palette boards over and we settled on one. It’s neutral, but inviting at the same time.”

“Hmm…” He couldn’t wait to find out which one.

“I guess the client already set the parameters for the different color schemes and she pulled together ideas based on that. I chose the one that was described as warm greys and creams with dark accents _incorporating layers and textures to create a refined yet unique and personal home with a neutral backdrop to display works of art._ ” Ga Eul threw in a couple of air quotes as she spoke to outline the words that weren’t her own to his amusement. “See I even sound like a designer now. Of course, everything is opulent and ridiculously expensive. Did you know people buy toilet seats that cost more than a thousand US dollars? Toilet seats, Sunbae!”

“It does sound like you are having fun.” He gave her a real smile, the kind that lit up his eyes.

“Yes. I mean, I’ve never done anything like this before. When we redecorate at home we just go to the store and pick a paint color. Like we did for Jan Di’s apartment, remember Sunbae?”

He did remember, it was soon after he had taken her on that disastrous date when he had been angry at life, at his ruined hand, at his mother’s most recent suicide attempt, and mostly at her for daring to push into his life and challenge him. He had wanted to scare her off, she had been getting too close, he was too attracted to her, but he was his _father’s son_ and couldn’t see any way to avoid _that_. He had behaved horribly, dragging her from her workplace into a nightclub when he knew she didn’t like clubbing and wasn’t dressed or ready for such a place. He could see how extremely uncomfortable she was as she tried to shrink into her seat, nervously sipping the drink in front of her as he encouraged a couple of his former playmates to paw all over him. 

Worse, when she finally bolted he didn’t let her go. He dragged her to dinner with his bastard of a father where he offered her… he actually _offered_ her… to him. As if she was an object or a toy to discard or pass on to another on his whim. Even his debauched excuse of a father told him he’d stepped over the line with that. He’d gone on to get totally plastered, continuing on his downward spiral of self-hate. She was the one who literally picked him up off the street and took him inside, to literally _save_ him from himself.

He really didn’t like the memory of how he had treated her. When he had finally got enough guts after a few days to go and apologize to her the mix of empathy and hurt in her eyes undid him. She had just given him a small sad smile and told him it was okay, she understood. How could she possibly understand when he still didn’t fully? They never spoke about it again. The whole memory made him wince with regret and guilt even now. He sometimes wondered if he should bring it up again, if he should tell her just how very sorry he truly was about that night.

He remembered the lesson that Ga Eul had taught him about regrets. If you give up even once on one of those once-in-a-lifetime meetings you’ll never get it back. He once asked Ji Hoo during a Truth or Dare game if he could ever love again after he lost his first love, Min Seo Hyun. Ji Hoo had said something like, _I’m ready to_ , not quite answering, but what Yi Jung had been really asking is could you fall in love again after your first? Had his father really been right when he said the real thing only comes once in your lifetime? 

“Anyhow,” she continued, pulling him back to the present. “This is different. Woo Bin won’t take me to the condo because it’s still under construction, and won’t show me the floor plans citing client confidentiality, so I hope I’ll be able to see the finished product or at least pictures of it. Who knew there were so many things to decide, so many choices to make. Colors, fabrics, flooring, cabinetry, furniture. I could go on, but I’m pretty sure it’s boring for you.”

“Not at all.” He more than wanted to hear about _all_ her choices for the penthouse. He was very interested for his own selfish reasons. “I want to hear about all of it. It’s actually really interesting.

She eyeballed him suspiciously. “If you say so, Sunbae…”

“I’m an artist right?” He grinned at her, flashing his dimples in the way he knew made her blush. “I like that kind of stuff, so please share.”

She smiled back, caught up in his charm as he knew she would be. “Okay, but only because you insist.”

***  
February 2010 – South Korea

Soon Ji Hoo was just finishing up his preparations for brunch. It was a Sunday morning in Seoul and every second Sunday he had started to gather what remained of his friends at his house for a meal. He often saw Jan Di, after all, she had become his best friend since Jun Pyo moved to the US, and Woo Bin went to Shinhwa University with them so they crossed paths regularly, but Ga Eul was elusive and busy at the best of times between her part-time job and going to Seoul National. They all missed Jun Pyo and Yi Jung and he was worried that they would drift apart if he didn’t make sure the ones left here in Korea didn’t get together at least a couple of times a month. 

His phone started to ring, and he checked the call display. To his surprise, it was Yi Jung.

“Hi,” he answered his phone, worry creasing his brows. It would be about 3 AM in Sweden about now, and he was worried Yi Jung was in trouble, maybe on a drinking binge or out clubbing. He was so dangerously by himself, and Ji Hoo hoped he wasn’t trying to drink himself into oblivion again.

“Hi, Ji Hoo,” Yi Jung greeted him, his smooth baritone even to his relief. There was no slurring or sign of him being drunk or distressed.

“Why are you calling me this early? Is everything alright?” He was still worried.

“I just needed to ask you something.”

“At 3 AM? Is it about your hand? Is it hurting more? Something go wrong with your rehabilitation?” Ji Hoo asked. He was the calm coolheaded one in their group, the one who kept his head at all times and would soothe the others as needed. “Is it your mother again? Did your father do something?”

“No, no, my hand is fine, and the family is as well as can be expected. I just couldn’t sleep,” Yi Jung admitted. “My thoughts keep circling around this one question. It’s been bothering me for weeks.”

“Well, let me try to help then.” He centered himself to get ready to solve whatever problem Yi Jung was stressing about. Under his cool confident exterior, Yi Jung could be a seething mountain of self-destruction. The F4 knew more than anyone what was hidden behind his charming smile, although Ji Hoo suspected that little Ga Eul-yang had slipped under his mask and was the one who had pushed and prodded Yi Jung onto his current path of redemption. After all, he was nothing if not an observer of people, and he had been watching the two of them dance around each other since that trip to New Caledonia, noticing how _possessive_ Yi Jung was over her at all times, how he _looked_ at her when he thought nobody was looking and the way she _looked_ back at him.

“Remember that question I asked you long ago?” Yi Jung asked. “The one about if you could love another person other than Seo Hyun?”

“The one during that game at Jan Di’s apartment, Truth or Dare?”

“You never really answered it. You said that after a long time, you wanted to. Not that you could.” Ji Hoo could hear the pause in his friend’s words and waited. “I’d like a real answer.”

Ji Hoo sighed, he had remembered the intense look in Yi Jung’s eyes when he asked that question, but he hadn’t been ready to answer truthfully so he dodged it. He could hear in Yi Jung’s voice how important his answer would be.

“Yes, I could love again,” he admitted reluctantly. “I _have_ loved a second time, although it seems that I let it slip through my fingers yet again.”

“I see.” Yi Jang’s voice was soft. “Someone once told me that love is like the wind, once it has passed it doesn’t come back.”

“Very true, but I think if you can hold onto that wind it can become the very air you breathe.” 

“How do you hold onto a breeze though?”

“Just don’t let it go, don’t think that it’s just passing you by and will circle back to you again. You’ll regret it forever if you do. I know I regret not recognizing and grabbing ahold of my second chance. I was too busy chasing the past that I missed looking towards my future.” 

Yi Jung laughed bitterly. “I’m afraid of screwing up again. I already have in so many ways, but I’ve gotten a second chance with my second breeze.”

“Then don’t waste it.”

“I don’t believe in soulmates and happy endings.”

“Yes you do, look at how you worked so hard to help Jan Di and Jun Pyo with theirs. You’re just afraid, So Yi Jung.” Ji Hoo smiled to himself, happy for his friend, and understanding his fears. “Don’t run away, and let yourself be happy. You’re not your mother and you’re not your father. You may be selfish, callous, and sometimes cowardly at times, but you are sensitive and warm and loving inside.”

He could hear Yi Jung sigh deeply on the other side of the phone. “Thank you, Ji Hoo.”

“I’ll say hi to Ga Eul for you when she gets here later this morning.” Ji Hoo couldn’t help but tease.

“What?” He could hear Yi Jung sputtering and imagined him looking flustered.

“It’s not exactly a secret now, is it? Not amongst us who know you best. Trust me, you can have a happy ending, just don’t let it slip away.”

***

March 2010 – Sweden

Yi Jung wiped the sweat from his forehead, ending his work out. He had been wearing a headband but the intensity of his exercising had proved to be too much for it. He felt healthier than he ever had before. Who knew that quitting excessive drinking, eating regularly, sleeping proper hours rather than clubbing all night long, and exercising would prove to be so… beneficial? He had put on lean muscle and his eyes no longer had that haunted hollow look they used to.

He was in the best shape he’d ever been in both physically and emotionally, and it was now showing in his rehabilitation and in his art. He flexed his hand, enjoying the ease of motion he had regained so far, noticing the diminished shaking. If one Ga Eul-yang hadn’t stormed into his depression to pull him out and told him she wouldn’t accept that his hand would never get better, that she would not allow him to lose his art he would never have ventured to Sweden and remade himself from the inside out.

He grinned, thinking of the girl he had come think of internally as his girlfriend. He fondly remembered her scorn for him at their first meeting when he had warned her to tell Jan Di to not get involved with Gu Jun Pyo, how her expressive little lip lifted in contempt at him and how, despite her anger, she returned to gulp down the tea he had made just to be polite before she stormed out of his studio. 

Girls never stormed away from him. It had been his first experience with such disdain from a female, and although he claimed to not care for ‘tacky things’ to Woo Bin in her wake, she had piqued his interest. He had complained when Jun Pyo paid him to ‘kidnap’ her to New Caledonia, and again when there he had been pressed into being her ‘babysitter’, but inwardly he had been glad to have the excuse to hang out with her which he really hadn’t understood. He actually ended up stalking her all over the island, telling himself it was to find out who the guy Jan Di really liked was, despite having a beautiful European girl whose name for the life of him he couldn’t remember there for his entertainment. In retrospect, he recognized how thoroughly he had been unwillingly obsessed with Chu Ga Eul from the start.

God, he had been so stupid, so totally in denial, ignoring the way his entire body sparked to life whenever she came into his presence, how he couldn’t help but sneak glances at her, how he constantly pushed her away bitterly complaining how annoying ‘good girls’ were and then pulling her back before she actually was gone, trampling all over the love she so purely offered him. He never recognized the possessiveness he so clearly felt over her, never noticed how he took it upon himself to look after her and seek her out or how he would find himself seated next to her, or driving her where ever they were going. Before he knew it he had slipped into being her escort all the time when she joined the F4, and they had become close. 

Chu Ga Eul scared the shit out of him, and he had confused his feelings for Eun Jae with his feelings for her. It was only after his meltdown at losing Eun Jae that he realized that he actually cared for Ga Eul, the girl who pulled him off the ledge of self-destruction. How ironic that when he finally let go of his feelings for Eun Jae on that roof, that same event was the catalyst for Ga Eul to let go of her feelings for him and finally walk away. Not that he let her, he had come back at her with some half-hearted _wait for me if you don’t find anyone else_ proposal, but it had been good enough at the time for both of them. After his conversation a few months ago with Ji Hoo he now knew that he would _never_ let her go.

Now, in the present with his mind clear and focused and free from depression and self-hate, he knew exactly what his feelings were. He had loved Eun Jae as his first love, a boy’s love. He knew now that he loved Ga Eul with a man’s love. He would take his time telling her though, waiting until he was able to go home to Korea. It would be misguided to do so from so far away, it felt wrong and she would take it as him merely being homesick and insincere or worse, trying to play her as he had with women all his life.

As if on cue his phone started ringing, and the call display showed it was the girl in question. 

“Hello, Ga Eul-yang.” He greeted, enjoying how his body sparked to life at just the sound of her voice.

“Sunbae! Thank you!” she chirped at him.

“You got it, did you?” 

“Mmhmm.” She had a happy little hum to her voice. “It’s perfect.”

“No, not really. It’s a first attempt. I could never show or sell it. It’s far from perfect.” He had sent her one of his first tries at the new technique he was learning, a small bowl with a swirled silver and green glaze. She was moving into an apartment with Jan Di. “It’s a housewarming gift.”

“Well, I think it’s perfect. Your hand is improving, isn’t it? I can tell from the work you sent me. The physiotherapy has been successful so far, hmm..?” He could hear the caring in her voice. 

“It’s much better, but nowhere near perfectly healed. The shaking has diminished and it’s much steadier. I still need to rest it often though. I can’t work as long as I’d like.” He paused realizing that she was the only person he felt comfortable talking about his hand with. Jun Pyo, Woo Bin, and Ji Hoo often asked him, and he would give them a _great, it’s coming along just fine_ answer, but with Ga Eul he told the truth. He told her when he felt frustrated with its lack of progress, or when he got in the zone while working and his hand let out before his brain did making him unable to complete his project. He sighed heavily into the phone. “I just wish…”

“So Yi Jung, you are too hard on yourself! You are working again, right? You are creating again. You’re only one year into your physiotherapy program and look how far you’ve come.” Her voice was calming to him, centering him with her encouragement. “Besides the bowl is stunning. If you think that this is imperfect and not museum-worthy I can’t wait to see what you consider is.”

“You like the new apartment?” He changed the subject, genuinely curious about it. Jun Pyo had bought and furnished the condo which was in one of the Song subsidiary portfolios and had desperately wanted Jan Di to live in it while he was in the States, but it had taken all four of them to manipulate– _dare he say trick_ –the girls into finding it and moving into it. Woo Bin had arranged for one of his contractors to‘ overhear’ Ga Eul talking on the phone during one of their design meetings about looking for an apartment and had them hook her up with ‘a client’ who had moved overseas ‘indefinitely’ and wanted to sublet their apartment, but only to someone recommended. Yi Jung had taken on the task of being the ‘landlord’ who communicated through a false email account when Jan Di and Ga Eul had inquired about the rental. Ji Hoo had been the one tasked with convincing Jan Di and Ga Eul that they couldn’t refuse the offer, that the rent was so very low because the owner just wanted someone trustworthy in the place. All in all the F4 was quite satisfied to have successfully maneuvered the girls into living exactly where they wanted them to be.

“Oh my god, it’s awesome. I still can’t believe that the rent is so low, that Mr. Gwan just wants someone to live in it and take care of it while he’s gone for a few years.” He could hear the excitement in her voice. “It’s a bit minimalistic at the moment, but we’re making it feel really cozy with throw cushions and splashes of colors. It’s a huge relief not to have to buy furniture, and my bedroom is huge!”

“It sounds great. You can take me on a virtual tour on Sunday.” He felt a self-satisfied grin slip over his face and was glad she couldn’t see him. If she had the jig would be up, and she’d have known for sure that something was fishy about them finding a comfortable apartment in a building with 24-hour security for the cost of a bare couple of rooms in Seoul. All of F4 were breathing easier knowing Jan Di and Ga Eul were living somewhere safe, safe from not only outside threats but from those that could come from their own twisted chaebol families as well.

“Ok Sunbae, I will. I have to get to work now, talk to you later!” 

“Later, Ga Eul-yang. I will look forward to my tour.”  
***

March 2010 - Korea

Jan Di and Ga Eul flopped onto the sofa in their new apartment gratefully. Finally, they were fully moved in. The place was perfect, a fully and rather tastefully furnished two-bedroom in a centrally located new low rise, conveniently close to both their Universities and to work. Best of all the rent was dirt cheap which worked with their rather frugal budget.

“Finally, they left,” Jan Di huffed, blowing her bangs off her forehead with her breath. “I thought they’d never leave.”

“Well, I don’t think either of them has ever moved before,” Ga Eul said, pulling a pillow onto her lap and hugging it. “I mean think about it? Even if they did, they’d have servants do all the work and heavy lifting.”

“I don’t think Woo Bin did _any_ heavy lifting,” Jan Di lifted one brow at her, a smirk on her face as she pointed to the game control left on their coffee table. “I mean he just brought that thing, set it up, and played games. We even had to feed him.”

Ga Eul prodded the new Xbox 360 controller with her big toe. “It was a thoughtful house warming gift though, don’t you think?”

“Not.” Jan Di smirked at her. “I mean, how many games do you think you and I are going to play?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I was thinking that God of War looked interesting,” Ga Eul said laughing. 

Jan Di just scoffed at her. “At least Ji Hoo was helpful, he unpacked the dishes and ordered in dinner.”

“Plus he actually listened to what we were planning to do with the place and brought us a bunch of bright colored pillows,” Ga Eul said, pointing out the soft pillow she was currently hugging. 

“This apartment was a brilliant find, Ga Eul. Thank god you found it for us.”

“Yes, it was lucky wasn’t it? I couldn’t believe when Soo Mi So said she had overheard me looking for a place and she had a client looking to sublet, and that it is so reasonable.”

“I love my family, but studying at home in their chaos is difficult at best. This is going to be great.” Jan Di nestled back in the cushions of the couch, a self-satisfied look on her face. “Besides, I feel like a real grown-up now. I just have to work two jobs to keep up with the rent.”

“I’m lucky that my parents have saved for my tuition and living expenses while I get my degree, and I have good savings from working through high school. I just need to keep the one job to help cover the rent until I graduate.” Ga Eul knew that Jan Di’s tuition had been paid for by Jun Pyo, much to Jan Di’s disgust, but she found it sweet of him. Jan Di’s parents were never as financially stable as hers were, and as an only child from a decidedly middle-class family, she had it much easier than her friend.

“He didn’t send a housewarming gift,” Jan Di admitted with a frown. “Don’t you think that is strange? Usually, he jumps at the chance to buy stuff for me that I can’t refuse.”

“Hmm, well maybe something is coming,” Ga Eul said, tapping her finger on her chin. “God, I hope it isn’t ridiculous, like a Monet painting or some outrageous work of art that you mentioned liking sometime in the past. Or a robot maid, or–“

“I get the idea,” Jan Di said, grimacing. Hell, she was lucky that he hadn’t just purchased the whole damn condo for her, although if he had she would have refused to move into it. 

“Oh, I forgot. Did you see what Yi Jung sent me?” Ga Eul said pushing the pillow to the side and reached under the table for the box she had placed there earlier. 

“Let me see,” Jan Di sat forward expectantly. 

Ga Eul took her time unwrapping bubble wrap and soft tissue paper to reveal a delicate little green bowl, its glaze swirled with silver. “Isn’t it beautiful? He told me it’s his first attempt and flawed but I think it’s perfect.”

Jan Di took a good look at her best friend's face, taking in the glow in her eyes and the soft smile on her lips. Why did Ga Eul have to fall in love with F4’s Casanova? Oh there was no doubt they had some sort of special relationship with one another, and Jan Di was thankful that he brought Ga Eul out of her shell and willing to fall in love again, but he was in another country ten hours away. He also was, and in her mind always would be, a playboy. She thought that Ga Eul would have moved on from her love for him when he moved to Sweden and, although she knew that behind his cruel, cold mask and oh so falsely charming smile, Yi Jung was actually a very warm person, she worried not for the first time that her best friend was going to end up hurt. “What exactly is going on with you two?”

Ga Eul looked up at her, her eyes shuttered. “Umm, well…” She paused, thinking of how to describe them. “We are close friends I guess. I think we could be more eventually.”

“You think?” Jan Di raised one eyebrow at her expectantly. 

“Right now we are far apart, and we each have our own lives to figure out. We’re both in school and he’s working on his art, plus he has his rehab. But we talk at least once a week, video chat that is,” Ga Eul told her. “We also text almost every day, and sometimes we speak on the phone.”

“Hmm…” Jan Di was looking at her speculatively. “What about dating other people?”

Ga Eul grew slightly flustered. “We never talk about that. I mean, I don’t ask and he doesn’t either.”

“So, if you met someone… would you go on a date with them?” Jan Di asked pointedly. She wanted to know what was going on with the two of them, and right now it seemed like something with no strings attached but she knew Ga Eul, and if Ga Eul had her heart settled she’d be the only one committing to whatever this relationship with Yi Jung was, leaving him to go about his playboy ways freely while in Sweden.

“I don’t know,” Ga Eul whispered softly, her eyes on the bowl she cradled in her hands. She looked up at Jan Di, her eyes luminous, and admitted reluctantly “I don’t think so.”

Jan Di made a sound of disapproval in the back of her throat, making Ga Eul look away. 

“I can’t help how I feel, Jan Di.”

“Did he say he wasn’t going to date while he was gone?”

“No, we made no promises like that. I mean, we aren’t dating or anything close. We really are just friends. I would never expect him…” Ga Eul broke off, not wanting to finish the sentence. The truth was that she didn’t expect Yi Jung to suddenly become different, to suddenly stop his drinking and clubbing, stop his womanizing. There had to be hundreds of beautiful, tall, leggy blondes in Sweden after all, like a whole new buffet to him. She sighed deeply.

“You’d never expect him to be faithful.” Jan Di finished for her.

“No, not that!” Ga Eul looked up at her sharply. “He can be. If he is in a serious relationship, he will be. I _know_ him. It’s just that we… well, aren’t in that kind of a relationship, so I have no expectations.”

“So you are just going to wait in the off chance he comes back reformed and in love with you?”

“Don’t be mean, Geum Jan Di,” Ga Eul said hotly. “We agreed that when he comes back we’ll see if both of us are still on the same page. I am definitely not pining for him, or in a long-distance relationship like you are with Jun Pyo. We are just friends, and my feelings are my own.”

“You agreed?” Jan Di asked, now this was interesting. F4’s Casanova made an agreement with Ga Eul.

“It was nothing formal and it’s between us,” Ga Eul answered, her face now set in the way that Jan Di knew her prying further would get nowhere. “I get to decide who and how I love. Not you. I supported you through your entire twisted and drama-filled love affair with Gu Jun Pyo, didn’t I? Every damn painful step of the way.”

Jan Di’s face twisted in a slight frown, she had to admit that Ga Eul was right, she’d been there through thick and thin, supporting and encouraging her when needed, holding her when she cried, listening to her rant and complain and vent, helping her validate her own jumbled feelings, heartbreak and joy in her own love affair. She could do no less for her in return.

“You’re right,” she admitted, with a small smile. “I will support you as you have me. I’ll be here to hold you when you cry and listen to you when you have concerns or doubts, and take joy in when you are happy.”

“That is all I ask,” Ga Eul grinned at her, the tension between them dissipating. “Right now, however, I need to find the right place for this bowl.”


	4. ONE AND A HALF YEARS

_“Distance teaches us to appreciate the days that we’re able to spend together and distance teaches us the definition of patience. It is a reminder that every moment together is special, and every second together should be cherished.” Unknown_

December 2010 - Korea

Ga Eul left the building at the end of December feeling free. Finally, the school term was finished and she had the glorious weeks of winter break ahead of her before the next one started. Well, really only two glorious weeks of freedom since she was starting an internship worth two credits at the elite Shinhwa nursery school for the remaining six weeks of break after New Year’s. A job that she was very grateful that Jan Di had suggested she apply for. She really hadn’t expected to get the internship, after all, she wasn’t anyone particularly special, but by some miracle she was selected. 

She wondered in the back of her mind if Jan Di had pestered Jun Pyo into pulling some strings for her, but then pushed it aside. There was no way Gu Jun Pyo would have the time to be bothered by something so insignificant. More likely most applicants were too intimidated to apply to the exclusive school and no doubt the actual students at the Shinhwa University weren’t studying to be teachers and wouldn’t apply for such a job.

She was going out to dinner with her two friends from SNU to celebrate and then she was going to do exactly nothing for two weeks straight before she started at Shinhwa. She pulled her bright pink coat close around her as a blustery wind blew through. Cho Hee and Min Ji were chatting with her as they approached the wide stairs at the front of the University that led to the closest subway. For some reason there seemed to be a rather large crowd gathered on the stairs, and when Ga Eul looked down she realized why.

Parked below on the street was a bright yellow Lotus Elise with an extremely familiar man leaning on it, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes hidden by a set of expensive dark aviators.

“Is that?..” Min Ji said from behind her.

“Here?” Cho Hee questioned. “One of…”

“Umm…” Ga Eul managed to get out. What was _he_ doing here?

“Oh my god, he’s so handsome.” Cho Hee gushed, her eyes all dreamy. “Isn’t he the one they call a prince?”

“I guess.” Ga Eul muttered under her breath as she debated approaching him or going in a different direction. He likely was here to pick up his latest conquest, whoever _that_ poor lucky girl was.

The choice was quickly removed from her as she watched him come to attention, staring up at her.

“Chu Ga Eul!” he called her name, his voice just loud enough to carry and removing any doubt about who he was here to see.

To her horror every head snapped to look at her, so she weakly waved at him and reluctantly made her way down the stairs, her two friends trailing behind her.

He smiled his sinfully charming smile at her approach. “Yo, Ga Eul-yang, I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Hello, Woo Bin.” She greeted him, painfully aware of their audience. “What brings you here? Is everything okay with Jan Di? The client?” Couldn’t he have just called or texted? Wouldn’t that have been much less of a spectacle?

“I’m here to pick you up.”

“Pick me up?” she questioned, confusion showing in her eyes.

“We’re going someplace.” He grinned widely at the look of surprise on her face.

“Ga Eul, do you know him?” Min Ji hissed loudly from behind her.

“Yes, Song Woo Bin is a friend of a friend.”

“Chu Ga Eul-shi, you wound me.” He had a teasing note in his voice as he laid a gloved hand over his heart dramatically and twisted his face into an expression of mock horror. “Surely after all this time we are friends?”

“Sorry, Woo Bin-sunbae, of course, we are friends.” They were friends, very good friends actually. Heck, she went out with him, Ji Hoo, and Jan Di regularly, and every two weeks they had brunch at Ji Hoo’s house. She was ‘working’ for him now, helping him with his client’s condo design in return for dinners out. But he’d never shown up at her school before in his flashy car. He normally sent a driver to pick her up or met her at a prearranged time and place.

“Miss Ga Eul, please get in.” He had his hand on her elbow now and was firmly guiding her to his car. She was rather pleased it wasn’t the usual grab and pull that the F4 seemed to have perfected. That would have been even more embarrassing. “We don’t have a lot of time.”

“Time? Time for what?” She sputtered out as she allowed him to lead her.

“Ga Eul, are you dating Song Woo Bin of Shinhwa’s F4?” One of the girls on the steps asked loudly. She could hear the others starting to speak up, questioning along the same lines, conversation sweeping through the crowd.

“No, no!.. Of course not!” That was the last thing she’d want to go around the rumor mill at school. It was bad enough he’d just told the world that she knew him personally. It was something she always strove to avoid. Not that she was embarrassed about having a relationship with the F4 of Seoul, but because once people found out they would inevitably start pressuring her to introduce them, to try to get access or gain from it. It was uncomfortable to say the least, if not downright distressing. When it first happened she was still in high school and she quickly learned to keep it to herself and not let anyone know. She kept her friendship with the F4 very private for both her sake and theirs.

Woo Bin threw the crowd a wicked grin. “I’m not the one she’s dating.”

Great, that was just the announcement that she needed him to declare. At least he was confirming that they weren’t dating. Ga Eul saw the shock in her two friends' faces as she found herself in the front seat with the door to the Lotus closing. She waved to them as Woo Bin jogged around to get in the driver’s seat, and shrugged her shoulders in apology. Min Ji made a ‘call me’ signal at her as Woo Bin revved his engines before driving off.

“Woo Bin-sunbae, where are we going?” she asked.

“New York.” He glanced over, pulling his sunglasses down showing his eyes lit up with amusement and he had a small twist on his lips as if he was holding back his laughter.

“Wh…what!??!” Her mouth dropped open in shock.

“Jun Pyo sent his private jet for us and Jan Di can't or won’t go without you.”

“Wait a minute! I can’t go to New York!” Ga Eul said in a panic. “I mean I haven’t packed, or told my parents. I don’t have my passport. I have a new job starting in a couple of weeks!”

“I sent a man to your parents and they went to your apartment and packed a bag for you and sent your passport.” He grinned clearly enjoying this. “We’ll be back in time for your job, kitten.”

She quickly grabbed up her phone and sure enough, her mom had messaged her. _Jan Di is taking you to New York on a surprise trip. Have fun, honey!_ Apparently her mother never realized that it wasn’t Jan Di who organized these kidnappings.

“I swear Song Woo Bin, you get more and more like Jun Pyo-sunbae every time I see you.” She huffed.

He just chuckled as he skillfully wove his Lotus in and out of traffic.

“I expect that anything my mom missed packing for me will magically be provided just like when we went to New Caledonia and when we went skiing.” She stated, not making it a question while quickly responding to her friend’s texts.

Did she really know F4’s Song Woo Bin? _Yes, I know him._

Was she going out with him? _No, I’m definitely NOT dating him._

Where was he taking her? _Just out with mutual friends._ No need to say traveling out of the country. 

Why didn’t she ever tell them she knew someone in the infamous Shinhwa F4? _I don’t know them that well._ A little white lie never hurt anyone. _They’re really Jan Di’s friends. She goes to school with them._ It really wasn’t something she wanted to run around advertising, she wasn’t a name-dropper and it seemed distasteful at the minimum and she was well aware of how dangerous it could be.

“Yep all arranged.” He answered as he watched her texting in the seat next to him, her annoyance clear in the line of her body. Ga Eul was just too much fun sometimes. Right now she was feisty and slightly upset. 

“How do you know my size?” She shot him a glare, her little chin in the air as she put her phone down.

He raked his eyes over her with a knowing smirk on his lips, making her feel slightly flustered and blush. “I don’t. Someone who does made the arrangements.”

“Well thank god for Jan Di.” Ga Eul exclaimed as she forced herself to relax against the plush leather of the bucket seat. Jan Di would make sure she got what she needed for sure. There was no sense in fighting this… this abduction, she was being dragged along yet again as the nominal extra girl that the F4 needed for Jan Di to go on one of their excursions. She might as well make the most of it, it was sure to be extravagant and the food would be great. There was nothing quite like an F4 forced vacation.

Woo Bin just laughed as he pushed the high-end sports car even faster. Jan Di had never arranged for Ga Eul’s needs on these trips, and likely never would, but he’d let her believe what she wanted. “Just enjoy the ride, baby.”

***

December 2010 - New York City, USA 

Ga Eul and Jan Di were glued to the window of the private jet watching the bright lights of New York City appear. Jan Di was overly excited because Jun Pyo was there waiting for them. Waiting for her. She was finding the long distant relationship difficult, to say the least, and had complained to Ga Eul that she had thought that the time would fly, but it wasn’t. It was trickling so very slowly that it felt like four years might as well be four hundred years.

Ga Eul thought the same, although she kept it to herself. She had never told Jan Di the full truth about the promise that Yi Jung had made to her, never let her best friend know about her own loneliness, and longing for a man she couldn’t have. At least not right now, and maybe not ever. At least Jan Di knew that Jun Pyo was her boyfriend and that he loved her and was committed to her. She sighed to herself, keeping her inner thoughts quiet. She was a good best friend, always listening and supporting and helping. It was the least she could do after Jan Di protected her since Kindergarten.

Finally, they had landed and they clattered down the steps of the plane onto the snow-swept tarmac of Teterbro Airport, in New Jersey. Just a mere 10 minutes from Manhattan via helicopter Woo Bin had told them. Jun Pyo was unmistakable, standing tall and authoritative waiting with a good number of staff or bodyguards in front of a fleet of black SUVs.

Jan Di flew down the stairs and launched herself into his arms, and Ga Eul smiled to see them so happy to be together, so wound up in one another’s arms.

“I missed you!” Jan Di was crying, her face buried in his chest. Jun Pyo looked just as moved, his arms tight around her, his face in her hair.

“I missed you more, woman!”

She stood back beside Ji Hoo and Woo Bin, a huge smile on her face. She noticed Yi Jung was missing with some disappointment. She hadn’t seen him in almost two years now. One year, nine months, and 3 days to be exact, although they never missed a Sunday FaceTime date and often spoke or texted over the week. 

He also sent her gifts, like the flowers and chocolate truffles that arrived on her birthday, or the theatre tickets she received last Christmas. Sometimes small tokens arrived out of nowhere, just because she had a hard day when she spoke to him last or was struggling with a class. Thoughtful little things like the box of homemade gelato from a famous Italian restaurant in Seoul, or a book she mentioned wanting to read. Once she got a soft pale pink cashmere scarf and matching gloves because she had gotten a cold from being out in the snow. He definitely was thoughtful and generous, but things weren’t him. Phone calls and video chats weren’t him. 

“Hey! Enough already.” Woo Bin interrupted them. “It’s frigid out here.”

“Aish! Don’t be jealous.” Jun Pyo yelled back. “Let me greet my girlfriend.”

“Greet her where it’s warm.” Ji Hoo said, a small smile twisting his lips. 

Ga Eul noticed a helicopter coming closer, it looked as if it were going to land right where they were, and she stepped unconsciously closer to Woo Bin.

“Our ride’s just getting here.” Jun Pyo grinned, Jan Di still hanging on him but turned to face everyone, a huge happy smile on her face. “Luggage will come later. Come on!”

Helicopter it was to be apparently. The noise and wind from the copter made further conversation impossible, and Woo Bin took her hand to pull her to the helicopter first, the others trailing behind. He put his hands on her waist and placed her in the helicopter and a person inside grabbed her arms to pull her in.

“Thank you,” she said in her best English, although she was sure whoever it was could hear nothing and looked up to see who had helped her. To her surprise Yi Jung was there, still holding her arms with a huge smile on his face. He pulled her further in, settling her in a seat, and put his face right beside hers to yell into her ear.

“You’re welcome, Ga Eul-yang.” With that, he dropped a quick kiss on her slack mouth, buckled her seatbelt, and placed a set of headphones over her ears before dropping into the seat across from her.

Woo Bin hopped on right after her and the two boys shook hands as they yelled at each other over the noise. Before too long, everyone was in the helicopter and it took off. Yi Jung leaned forward, motioning to her headphones, pointing to his to show her how to turn them on. She looked adorably confused at him, not understanding, but Woo Bin noticed from beside her and reached out to turn them on. 

The airwaves filled with excited chatter as F4 and Jan Di greeted each other happily. Ga Eul was comfortable to keep quiet and listen to them as she gazed out the window at the bright city over the Hudson. Yi Jung kept his eyes on her and was pleased to see how she glanced at him every so often in that shy hesitant way she had as if she wasn’t sure he was real. After a time, he leaned over and took her hand, enjoying how small it was in his. 

“Look there is the Statue of Liberty, Ga Eul-yang.” He said to her, catching her attention. He adored how her eyes widened at his touch and a blush rose on her cheeks. He circled his thumb over her hand, caressing it lightly as he pointed out the different landmarks on their way into the city. It had been so long since he’d been able to touch her, to look at her face and take in her presence. He noticed Woo Bin watching him from the periphery of his eyes, but paid no attention to his best friend. He had his girl with him and wanted to spend time with her most of all. Having her in front of him and being surrounded by his friends made him feel like he had come home.

God, he had missed her these past months. It had been almost two years since he had seen her in person, almost two years since he had been able to experience the way his entire body seemed electrified in her presence, to enjoy the small expressions on her expressive little face, the way she smelt like jasmine naturally without any heavy perfume. Almost two years since he could admire how lovely she looked in person, the lack of makeup she wore, just a touch of eyeliner, a dash of mascara, and a swipe of cherry lip gloss highlighting her natural beauty. How he missed her shy open-eyed wonder followed by her bold feistiness, how she wore her emotions out in the open. She was still so innocent and pure to his satisfaction.

She was wearing one of her endless brightly colored coats, the pink one he noted. A favorite of his, he always loved her in pink. He’d already bought her a couple more for this trip, along with a bit of a wardrobe knowing that Woo Bin was grabbing her right from school. Ga Eul was always dressed nicely and fashionably, although certainly not in haute couture or designer clothing by any means except for the few items that he had gotten away pushing on her over the years. She also was very modest yet playfully youthful in her choices, never wearing skirts that were too short or tops which dipped low. She managed to always look kittenishly cute and flirty but never overly provocative or excessively sexual. After all his time observing her, he knew exactly what she liked.

He had always enjoyed dressing her, beginning when he had his assistant drop off a fast wardrobe that first time when he tricked her into going with them to New Caledonia. He remembered dropping the bag onto her lap just after the plane had landed and telling her to change into one of the outfits since they were in the tropics now and her red cardigan was going to be uncomfortably hot. She curled her lip up at him and opened her mouth to argue, but luckily Jan Di had pointed out the truth in his words and convinced her to just go with it.

Then there was the time he took her on a ‘fake date’ and had her totally made up and realized just how beautiful she really was. There was also the ski trip to Taebaek Mountains, although that had been a bit of a fight, Jun Pyo bulldozed her into just accepting all the glamorous ski jackets and equipment that he, _Yi Jung_ , had purchased for her. Finally, there was Jun Pyo’s birthday where he had given her ‘armor’ for herself and Jan Di. Of course, she never realized that he was the one buying all the clothing she needed for their adventures, she would be sure to balk entirely if she knew. She only knew about the fake date dress and the birthday armor, thank god. As for the trip outfits, well once she was someplace with only the clothing she was wearing, there really was no choice but to accept what was offered.

New York City, however, was an international shopping center. He had just put in a few necessities for her as he was hoping she’d allow him to spoil her silly. He’d have to bully her a bit, he thought. Funny how the women that the F4 had pulled into their orbit were ones that absolutely hated them using their wealth. Sure they could get away with taking them out for meals, or sending flowers and chocolates, or drag them along unwillingly on trips, but something big… something worthy like… say a car, a credit card or a condo was a total no go.

While he and Jun Pyo had been waiting for the plane to arrive Jun Pyo had been whining about how although he had paid for Jan Di’s university, which she reluctantly accepted after realizing that it was already done, and had set up an account for her with plenty of money in it, she still was working at not one but two part-time jobs and hadn’t touched a single won in her account yet. What their two commoner girls didn’t realize was that the challenge of gifting them made it all the more fun for every one of the F4 to do.

***

The first few days flew by quickly, the group taking in the sights of New York City. Jun Pyo had booked a huge suite at the iconic Plaza Hotel. The historic building was brimming with old-world opulence and luxury. The suite was massive with a private elevator, five bedrooms, gold plated bathroom fixtures, a stately living area complete with a grand piano, and a dining room for twelve. It was all decked up tastefully for Christmas complete with a gas fireplace and a huge real Christmas tree with soft colored fairy lights and delicate glass decorations.

Jun Pyo had organized plenty of activities from skating in Central Park, private visits to the Museum of Modern Art and the MET, tickets to Broadway and the Orchestra along with visits to the top night clubs like the notoriously exclusive Provocateur Club and the spectacle of debauchery of The Box on the Lower East Side, which shocked both Jan Di and Ga Eul, much to the boys' amusement. 

Even in New York, women seemed to swarm the F4, attracted to the lethal combination of their extraordinary good looks and obvious extreme wealth. To Ga Eul’s surprise, the boys brushed off all the female attention, even F4’s two playboys, Woo Bin and Yi Jung, although she _had_ expected Yi Jung to behave himself since she had come on this trip. They had a sort of understanding between them, although it really wasn’t defined. She wasn’t sure what to expect from him in regards to his womanizing and drinking, to be honest, although he had told her he wasn’t drinking to excess anymore on several occasions and his social media included nothing with girls or night clubs in it.

Yi Jung had been very attentive to her, acting as her escort on all their excursions. He was behaving, well… like a boyfriend, she thought to herself, constantly offering her his arm, keeping her hand in his when they walked, wrapping his scarf around her neck when it was cold out, snaking his arm around her waist casually. He danced with her in the night clubs, and ordered her drinks, and always sat beside her. He even took her alone to visit The Frick Collection, which was a private mansion turned into a museum with a famous ceramics collection. They had held hands and had fun together, taking all day to explore the entire museum just the two of them. The only thing he hadn’t done is kiss her, other than that fast little pass of his lips over hers in the helicopter when she had arrived.

She woke up the night before New Year’s Eve, the third last night before they were due to fly home, momentarily disoriented in the darkness. The clock on the nightstand blinked at her, 1:33 AM. She glanced over at the bed next to her and found it empty, the rumpled covers tossed to the side. Jan Di must have gotten up sometime earlier.

Ga Eul got up and wandered into the living room area of the huge suite. There was no Jan Di, but sitting in front of the gas fireplace on the floor leaning against the plush sofa was Yi Jung. He was lit up by the soft lights of the Christmas tree and the flickering flames in the fireplace as he seemed to be contemplating something. He looked up at her, flashing a small smile that made his dimples show.

“Ga Eul-yang,” he greeted her, his voice quiet and smooth. “Why are you up?”

“I could ask you the same, Sunbae.” 

He grinned watching her fidget slightly under his gaze, self-consciously pulling her oversized hello kitty t-shirt lower as if it would cover the little sleeping shorts she wore that left her long legs totally exposed. 

“Jan Di is missing,” she quietly admitted after a moment. “I thought she might be out here.”

“I see.” He raised a brow and smiled knowingly at her, nodding towards Jun Pyo’s room. 

As expected she grew flustered, her big eyes darting between him and the door. “Sunbae!”

“Well, they have been dating for over two years now.” He was sure her cheeks were flushed and enjoyed how she curled her lip up at him in dismay. He couldn’t tell her that Jan Di had been sneaking into Jun Pyo’s room every night, however. She looked scandalized enough right now. He motioned the space beside him. “Sit with me.”

She gingerly approached and sat down beside him, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them. “You know, Yi Jung, I’m glad you came.”

“I am too. It’s been too long since we’ve been together in person.” He looked at her profile, admiring with his artist’s eye how the soft lighting painted her delicate features. He reached behind them to grab the throw that was thrown over the sofa and tucked it over her lap. 

She looked up at him gratefully. “Thank you, Sunbae.”

“I seem to always be looking after you.” He said, watching her. “Are you ready for the party tomorrow? It will be the last thing we do before we all fly home.”

“What kind of party is it exactly? Jun Pyo says it’s just a normal New Year’s Eve party but normal to him isn’t really normal to me.”

“Ah, that… It’s being thrown by one of his business associates. It’s really a business commitment, to be honest, but should be fun. It’s one of the big yearly events for the New York elite so it will likely be similar to …” He paused, thinking about which society events she’d been to with the F4. “Jun Pyo’s birthday party, but without all the speeches and drama.”

She giggled. “Good. Don’t you think we’ve all had enough drama due to those two to last a lifetime?”

“We’ll be taking you and Jan Di out tomorrow for appropriate dresses.”

“What? Why?” Those huge doe eyes of hers met his as she turned to look at him fully.

“It’s a black-tie event. We’ve all brought our tuxes, but you’ll need formal dresses.”

“My mom packed the dress you gave me for Jun Pyo’s birthday. Plus I have the one from our first fake date here. Won’t one of them be good enough?”

Of course, his frugal commoner would balk at the idea of shopping. “No, it’s black tie. Floor-length gowns only. Besides you’ve already worn those dresses out here. Sorry Ga Eul-yang, you’ll have to suffer with us buying you yet another outfit.” And more, he thought to himself with something close to glee. There would be no way for her to resist the collective willpower of the F4 when they wanted to shop.

She sighed deeply, deflating. “Will there be dancing?”

“Of course.” A thought struck him, remembering Jan Di’s formal dancing skills, or lack thereof. “You have danced before, right? Ballroom danced?”

“Like the waltz?”

“Exactly.”

“No, never,” she admitted, her eyes growing big. “Surely I won’t be expected to…”

He threw his most charming smile at her and stood up. “Come, I’ll teach you.”

Ga Eul put her small hand in his and allowed him to pull her over to the windows by the grand piano. He took out his phone and found appropriate music, setting it on speaker with just enough volume for them to faintly hear it but not loud enough to penetrate into the bedrooms and wake anyone else and placed it on the piano. 

“Okay, the waltz has a step, slide, step movement in a 3/4 beat.” He pulled her into his arms enjoying the feeling of her slight form close to his. “Just let me lead.”

He started counting for her as he moved them. “One, two, three. One, two, three.” As expected she stepped on his toes clumsily. 

“Oh sorry, Sunbae!” she exclaimed.

“When Jan Di danced for the first time she stood on Ji Hoo’s feet for the entire dance,” he told her with a laugh. 

“Oh,” she laughed too. “I wished I could have seen it.”

“It was quite the sight.” He continued to sweep her around the small space. “Just relax and trust me.”

Before too long he felt her body loosen and stop fighting him as he smoothly glided her around.

“See, easy right?”

“You make it feel that way.” 

He pulled her a little closer, leading her into a little more complicated steps and turns, and was pleased with how she responded to him, letting him control her body’s movement.

Ga Eul loved the feeling of his strong arm braced firmly on her back, guiding her. She could smell his intoxicating scent of male muskiness and traces of expensive cologne. His body was close, but not touching hers and it felt as if they were in an intimate little circle of two dancing to the faint music in the hush of the dark night. 

“We must look silly.” She said, looking up at him.

“Hmm?”

“I’m in my pajamas and you’re in sweat pants.”

He laughed. “No doubt, but you’re still the most beautiful girl in the room.”

“Sunbae…” Her tone was teasing. “I’m the only girl in the room.”

“Ga Eul-yang, there could be a hundred women in the room and you’d still be the most beautiful one.” He watched as her mouth dropped slightly open and her eyes widened. He spun her in a quick little circle and took her lips into a kiss. It was the kind of kiss he’d been fantasizing about, sweet and oh so totally hot, her lips softening under his, surrendering to him. He stopped dancing and gathered her tight against his body as he kissed her.

After a time he released her lips and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, caressing her. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a _very_ long time, Ga Eul-yang.”

She just smiled at him, that sweet honest heartbreaking smile that only she had. “Me too, Yi Jung-sunbae. Me too.”

He bent his head to kiss her again. 

***

The F4 entered the ornate grand hall where the New Year’s Eve Party was taking place in their regular formation as if they owned the place, their body language dominating, claiming the area they moved through. Ga Eul had forgotten how they moved as a group, owning the entire space around them, it had been so long since she had seen them all together like this. Jun Pyo, as always, took point, his three friends fanned out and flanking him a short step behind, letting him take the lead, their faces bored and imperiously blank, their eyes arrogant as they surveyed their kingdom.

They were in what Ga Eul called their uniforms, Jun Pyo in a classic black tux with a splash of rebellion in his choice of vest and jacket which had subtle Korean peonies embroidered on them in the same black as the material. Ji Hoo was in his cream and soft golds, managing to look almost ethereal and Woo Bin was totally flashy opting for a teal jacket with a paisley design and charcoal pants, omitting the traditional bowtie for a more relaxed one. Yi Jung was understatedly classy, in straight black including his shirt, but his black jacket was unexpectedly lined in merlot silk and his bow tie was in the same color and his diamond earring caught the light, making him look dashing. 

Jan Di was in a simple elegant ruby sheath that hugged her figure tightly, with slits up the sides to allow her to walk, and had a mandarin collar, leaving her arms bare. It, like Jun Pyo’s vest, was embroidered with peony flowers, but in gold. The red looked fantastic on her, making her skin glow and her hair look even darker. She looked stunning on Jun Pyo’s arm like she belonged there Ga Eul thought looking at her.

Ga Eul loved the dress that had been carefully selected for her, the boys arguing about what she should wear as if she were a doll for them to dress. Of course, Yi Jung had pulled this one out and insisted on it, over-riding the rest of the F4 and she thought it might be her favorite one yet. It had a simple scoop neckline with Swarovski crystals scattered down it, leaving her back exposed and the skirt flared after skimming tightly along her hips in soft almost see-through layers. She had simple Swarovski crystal earrings on as her only jewelry and her shoes and clutch were crystal encrusted silver. For some reason whenever she ended up being ‘dressed’ for an F4 excursion she ended up in pink she realized.

Even here amongst the New York elite they dominated, Jun Pyo proudly leading with Jan Di on his arm and with herself enclosed protectively in their center. Yi Jung had her hand tucked in the crook of his arm her keeping her close and making her feel like she was really his. Woo Bin flanked her on her opposite side just as Ji Hoo walked on Jan Di’s other side making sure she was between him and Jun Pyo.

There were plenty of obscenely wealthy and equally as arrogant young Americans and other Internationals present, but none entered as a group in such a casually practiced formation as the Koreans. Jun Pyo was all confident smiles as he skillfully worked the room, introducing his friends to various important people at the event. The rest of the F4 were clearly in their element as they mingled as a team, using their natural charisma and breathtaking confidence to capitalize on creating new business contacts. There was something almost predatory in how they worked together.

Finally, they found their table, and the girls sat down with a breath of relief. Ga Eul found herself feeling totally out of her element and her high school level English didn’t help. She had pasted a self-assured smile on her face and kept her conversation to polite greetings and nods. English was a must she realized, vowing to take it as an elective next term in University. It was the international language of business, and if she wanted to be on Yi Jang’s arm as more than a decoration she would have to learn to be more fluid in it. Oh, he was very attentive, including her in the introductions and conversations, as were Ji Hoo and Woo Bin, but she was totally out of the loop on what they were actually conversing about. Besides they weren’t quite a couple yet were they? If that is what she wanted in the near future, she’d have to adapt a little towards him, just as he’d have to lean towards her.

Her eyes met Jan Di’s, understanding flying between them. Jan Di had just realized the very same thing. Sure, she had been to many events with the F4, but they had all been in South Korea. This was the first time she was abroad and being introduced as Jun Pyo’s significant other. She realized clearly that she’d have to do these events if they were to eventually get married and have a life together. She would need to be able to understand the language international business was conducted in. She refused to be a mere bystander to Gu Jun Pyo’s life.

“English lessons?” she leaned over and whispered in Ga Eul’s ear. Lessons would be much more enjoyable if she could do them with her best friend. Besides, it would be an excellent pastime for them to share while they waited for their respective men to return from abroad.

“Absolutely,” Ga Eul whispered back, a small pout on her lips. “I hate feeling side-lined.” 

Their conversation was cut short by the men joining them. Jun Pyo took Jan Di’s hand and held it to his lips momentarily. “Not so scary, yah?”

“Honestly, Jun Pyo. How could it possibly be scary when I didn’t understand a word being spoken?” Jan Di scowled at him and pinched his arm. “And how could you introduce me to that last person as _the woman._ I sure understood that part!”

“Yah! Claws in woman!” He exclaimed, his own scowl crossing his face. “I was being nice, I was introducing you as _my_ woman.”

“Nice? You wouldn’t know nice if it bit you on your ass, pabo!”

“Okay, children, inside voices please,” Woo Bin interjected trying to hide the look of gleeful amusement on his face. “For god’s sake will the two of you ever not argue? I pity your future children.”

“Aish, it’s not my fault.” Gun Pyo gave his trademark pout, sitting back in his seat as he shot a sulky look at Jan Di, who had crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air.

“It’s unbelievable that you are the head of a multi-billion dollar international corporation, have been on the cover of magazines such as Forbes and the Wall Street Journal as the most influential up and coming young billionaire, but you still fight with your girlfriend as if you were still five.” Ji Hoo said, a faint look of disbelief on his too handsome face.

“See! Exactly!” Jan Di exclaimed happily. “He’s a big huge idiot!”

“You’re as much at fault as the pabo is,” Ji Hoo continued, ignoring Jun Pyo’s ‘Yah!’ outburst at being called a pabo again. “You’re about to enter medical school to become a doctor, yet you squabble with Jun Pyo like you are both in kindergarten.”

Her mouth dropped open at his criticism. Ga Eul couldn’t help but giggle at the two of them looking much like nursery school students did after being chastised, staring away from one another and pouting.

“On that note, let’s dance,” Yi Jung said his mouth quirked in an amused little smile. He stood up and held his hand out to Ga Eul. “It’s our song, Ga Eul-sang.”

Ga Eul felt like she was floating as Yi Jung twirled her masterfully around the floor, the gauzy pale pink layers of her skirt swirling around their feet. He made her feel delicate and graceful as he put their midnight dance lesson to good use.

“Look, there,” he said, nodding to the side and she could see Jan Di dancing with Jun Pyo, both smiling happily at one another.

“God, they never change do they?” She looked up at him, a grin of her own on her pink lips. “It’s over almost as fast as it begins with them, isn’t it Sunbae?”

“I am willing to bet that they will have another spat before the end of this dance,” he now shot her his charming seductive smile, the one that could melt a woman by just the light in his eyes and the flash of his dimples. “Do you want to take me up on it, _Ga…Eul…yang_?” He drew out her name in a deliberately flirtatious way, his eyes teasing her.

“That sounds like a losing bet to me, Sunbae,” she answered pouting her lips at him. “Sorry I’ll have to pass.”

“Pity, I so wanted to win, I wanted to kiss you when the famous New York ball drops under the fireworks on the deck outside at midnight.”

“Well, Sunbae, I don’t think you need to win a bet to do that,” she responded, a cheeky little grin on her face. She watched his eyes darken dangerously as he pulled her slightly tighter to him as he swept her around.

“I’ll take you up on that, Ga Eul-yang.”

The rest of the evening passed in a whirl of dancing and fun. She found Jun Pyo strong and masterful as he moved her around the ballroom, while Ji Hoo was gracefully smooth and Woo Bin fluid and sleek. All of them were wonderful dancers, making her feel safe in their arms, but by far her favorite was Yi Jung who made her feel dainty and light, seeming to know exactly how to move her.

Finally, it was midnight, and the guests gathered in the middle of the ballroom to count in the New Year. With everyone occupied with their confetti poppers and noisemakers as they began the ten-second countdown to the New Year, Yi Jung slipped his tuxedo jacket over her shoulders and pulled her outside the wide French doors onto the balcony that looked like a winter wonderland covered with snow and white fairy lights.

Ga Eul shivered in the pale light as they listened to the countdown from inside the ballroom. _Five_ , he pulled her close to him, their bodies meeting making her heart race rapidly. _Four_ , he cupped her face, angling it up to his, his hand large and warm on her soft skin. _Three_ , he anchored her even closer with one hand on the bare skin in the small of her back under his jacket, making her shiver involuntarily with anticipation. _Two_ , he leaned forward, all the teasing gone from his eyes and they seemed to be burning in the darkness as he paused within a breath of her lips making her heart skip a beat. _One_ , he lowered his head those last few millimeters to kiss her.

His lips met hers, not gently but aggressively, hungrily. She could feel his body hard against hers as he pulled her in even closer, claiming her mouth possessively. His scent of warm masculinity and expensive sandalwood cologne washed over her, unfurling her senses as the heat of his body and taste of his mouth made time stop and the cold of the New York winter air dissipate with the heat they were creating between them and, she kissed him back with all the sweetness and love she had, the fireworks exploding unnoticed in the sky above them and the sounds of celebration heralding in the New Year from inside the ballroom unheard by either.

It was well past midnight when they finally pulled apart and gazed at each other for a moment. Then Yi Jung ran his thumb over her swollen bottom lip in a gentle caress.

“Happy New Year, Ga Eul-yang.” He gave her a sweet smile, his eyes warm.

“Happy New Year, Sunbae.” She gave him a small shy smile in return and could feel a blush rise on her cheeks, her pulse still rapid. If she could, she would have fallen in love with him all over again with just that kiss, she thought, and she smiled to herself as he led her back into the ballroom and to their waiting friends.


	5. TWO YEARS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * this chapter contains a lemon

_“I can bear the distance but cannot imagine a life without you. For you I will go through the distance and the heartaches. You are my one and only.” Montana Lee_

July 2011 – Korea

Ga Eul paused her frantic packing to glance over at her… what should she call him? Friend? No, way too general. Boyfriend? Not yet firmly established as such, even though they had kissed– very passionately she might add– the last time they met. Buddy? Playmate? Pal? They were stuck between platonic and romantic, although she had to admit it was definitely strongly tilted toward romantic now. There really was no word for what they were to one another.

“Hey, Sunbae, how would you describe us?”

She watched as he blinked on her laptop screen, clearly not expecting that question. They’d been keeping these virtual ‘dates’ for over two years now.

“How would _you_ describe us, Ga Eul-yang?” He had quickly recovered his cool composure, and his lips twisted up in that panty-melting half-smile of his.

“See, that’s the thing. I can’t.” She tossed a bunch of shirts on the bed and sorted through them. “I’m not sure what we are.”

“We’re in a long-distance relationship.” He grinned at her through the screen. “How could you possibly not know that?”

Now that caught her attention and she stopped fussing with her packing to stare at the laptop.

“Is that what this is?”

“Tsk… What else?” His eyes were actually sparkling with humor now. “Honestly Ga Eul-yang…”

“Well, to be clear, we never really said.” She pouted at the screen. “I suppose it is a long-distance relationship.”

“We speak at least once a week, but more often daily. I thought it was clear after New York. What else could it be?”

“True.” She giggled suddenly. “Thank God you’re not like Jun Pyo…”

“What do you mean?”

“He is constantly calling and texting poor Jan Di with no pattern, just whenever it strikes his fancy. If she doesn’t answer right away he pesters her with even more texts or calls. He Skypes at 3 AM, because that is when _he_ is available.” She huffed, making him laugh. “Poor Jan Di is exhausted. She said she wished she never told him how lonely she was feeling.”

“That sounds like Jun Pyo. He always overdoes it in the worst possible way. Honestly, it’s embarrassing to have him as a friend sometimes.”

“I need to go now, Sunbae. Woo Bin said he’s sending the car for 5 PM. So much fuss for a short weekend trip. I feel like I’m being kidnaped by F4 again… something seems a bit suspicious.”

“Is that really so bad?” he asked. “The surprise trips, I mean?”

She laughed. “They make the world seem off-kilter when they happen and it’s somewhat scary to feel such a lack of control, but no they’re not so bad. They’re actually really fun and I’m sure that I’d never been able to travel or have the wonderful experiences I have had without them.”

“See, they are good, no?” He was used to them, it was the preferred way of travel for one Gu Jun Pyo, and the rest of them just got used to keeping a couple of grab bags–one for tropical and one for non-tropical destinations–at the ready for when one of his whims took them on an adventure. “I’m sorry we haven’t had more of them while Jun Pyo and I have been gone.”

“Well, at least I have advance notice this time and can pack my own overnight bag. It really was kind of Woo Bin to invite me. It’s too bad you and Jun Pyo aren’t coming. He’s calling us the FC4 now.”

“What?” Was Woo Bin finally cracked with him and Jun Pyo abroad for so long? He was now making up his own group name?

“Yep, F2 plus C2 equals FC4 apparently.”

“C2? Let me guess, two commoners, you and Jan Di.” He laughed again. “And of course F2, him and Ji Hoo.”

“You got it Sunbae. I’ve got to go. I’ll text you when we get there. See you next week!”

“Maybe sooner.” He smirked at her and something in his tone made her look sharply at him. “Or… maybe not. Have fun, sweetheart.”

He disappeared from her laptop screen. On his side, he just shook his head in disbelief. How could she not know he was her boyfriend by now… that she was his one and only currently? He thought that it had been obvious when they had seen each other in New York six months ago. He’d have to make sure it was crystal clear when he saw her next. He remembered that first fake date he took her on, how he had claimed aloud that she had taken all of his heart. He hadn’t realized just how prophetic those words would prove to be. He wasn’t planning to wait until the end of the four years he had given her to stake his claim anymore, he wasn’t planning to give her any more time to find her soulmate because he was pretty sure that she was his.

***

Ga Eul found Song Woo Bin’s Gulfstream much smaller than Gu Jun Pyo’s ultra-long-haul Bombardier, but it was still painstakingly luxurious to travel in. Although it didn’t have a flight attendant there was a galley with plenty of choices in drinks and pre-packaged gourmet foods which they could select from. Jan Di and Ji Hoo were curled up in seats that faced one another as they went over their medical journals as Ji Hoo was helping Jan Di get ready for the entrance exam for Medical School. Woo Bin sprawled gracefully across from her, his eyes closed lazily and a self-satisfied little grin on his lips. 

She flipped through a magazine she had brought, figuring a weekend trip wouldn’t take them that long to get to. They had formed a tight little group of their own, she thought. The two remaining F4 members, her and Jan Di had become close intimate friends who actually saw each other quite regularly. There was brunch every second Sunday at Ji Hoo’s house, where he made his specialty of pancakes for them, and they went clubbing with Woo Bin at least once a month at one of the exclusive clubs his family owned. Ga Eul had to admit that Woo Bin always made it fun and feel safe at the same time and clubbing was different when with him in his private booth. 

They did things like watching movies in Woo Bin’s private theatre whenever a new blockbuster came out, and Ji Hoo would buy them tickets to the orchestra or live theatre when new productions debuted. The first Monday of every month was dinner and video games at the girl’s apartment and they often met for dinner as a group, or in a combination of two or three depending on who was available. Woo Bin had started making noise about moving the old F4 hang out to someplace more convenient, or to get rid of it all together it was so rarely used now, but Jun Pyo had gotten wind of that and had phoned him complaining loudly.

As well, she’d gotten much closer to Woo Bin since she started working for him. She would go to his office to meet with the interior designer, decorators, and contractors and look over their plans and proposed materials for the condo for his client, and then he’d take her out for dinner to some of the most exclusive restaurants in Seoul. Sometimes she was afraid people would think that she was Woo Bin’s girlfriend, although she had never felt attracted to him the same way she did to Yi Jung and he certainly wasn’t attracted to her in that way. They were friends, that was all, close friends after all the time they spent together. Their relationship was not romantic at all, but it was comfortable and dependable. 

Ga Eul fell asleep, lulled by the sound of the plane’s engines thinking about the strange yet wonderful friendships that had developed between the six of them. When she woke it was dark outside the plane and she glanced at her phone. It was over six hours since they had left Korea. This was not a small weekend jaunt to Jeju Island as he had told them she realized. She looked over at Woo Bin and he was asleep his headphones over his ears to drown out any nose. She glanced over at Jan Di and Ji Hoo and saw they were fast asleep as well, their books open on the table between them. 

“Woo Bin.” She hissed loudly at him, hoping to wake him but not the other two up. “Woo Bin-sunbae, wake up!”

She got out of her seat and went over to him, and pulled one side of his headphones off his ear, and whispered loudly in it. “Song Woo Bin! Wake up!” 

“Yah!” He jerked awake at her assault, opening his eyes and grumbling at her. “Keep your claws sheathed, kitten.”

“Woo Bin, where are we going? This is way further than Jeju isn’t it?” She poked him in his chest to emphasize her annoyance. “Where are you kidnapping me to this time?”

“Does it matter?” he grunted at her, and shuffled himself into a more comfortable position, closing his eyes again.

“Does it matter?! Does it matter?!!?” She actually shrieked a bit this time, making Jan Di stir and Ji Hoo blink his eyes open momentarily.

“Yo! You’re on summer break, so really, does it matter?” He now opened his eyes fully and glared at her.

“Of course it matters! I have a work schedule and I only packed for a weekend!”

He chuckled. “As if that ever made a difference. Relax Ga Eul, I cleared your schedule and we’ll only be gone a week or so. After all, this is _my_ birthday trip, so I have decided where we are going and for how long.”

She crossed her arms across her chest and glared down at him. He picked up his phone to check the time and glowered back at her. “You may as well sit back down and let me go back to sleep, we have 3 more hours to go.”

Ga Eul sighed deeply. She had been abducted for a luxurious vacation yet again. “Can I at least know where you are taking us? Please Woo Bin-sunbae?” She threw him her big-eyed look and pouted her lips.

“My family’s island in Dubai.” He grinned at the look on her face. 

“The one they built to look like Korea?” She was shocked. “To look like Dokdo Island?”

“Ah, you remembered. Yep, I decided that is where I want to celebrate. I have arranged some surprises for you girls. Trust me you’ll have fun.” He motioned to her to sit down, and Ga Eul obeyed, sinking into the deep comfortable seat of the plane. “Just enjoy the ride, baby.”

That was his usual saying to her when he dragged her someplace, _just enjoy the ride, baby_. She sighed and looked out the window into the dark night and then grinned to herself. There was nothing quite like an F4 surprise trip, they were always a blast. She knew better than to fight them by now. 

***

The first surprise that Woo Bin had organized for them was the greeting party. They landed in the Sharjah International Airport which had a private VIP waiting area and Woo Bin led them gleefully into the exclusive lounge. Ga Eul immediately heard a familiar loud voice shrieking her and Jan Di’s names.

“Jan Di-yang and Ga Eul-yang!” A whirlwind of motion was running to them, black-suited bodyguards in hot pursuit. “Oh my god! It’s been so long!”

“Jae Kyung-unnie!” Jan Di cried as she was swept up into a huge hug. 

“Jae Kyung-unnie, what are you doing here?!” Ga Eul added in as she jumped into the hug.

They laughed and jumped around happily in a circle together, using half sentences and talking over one another before they settled somewhat. 

“I thought that you girls would like this.” Woo Bin’s drawl broke in and he was grinning widely at them from the side, Ji Hoo beside him also grinning. “Yo, Monkey, remember you have one job to perform. The reason why I invited you here.”

She curled her lip at him and glared. “As if I’d forget our deal, Song Woo Bin! Hand it over.” She held out her perfectly manicured hand to him and Ga Eul watched as he slapped a black credit card into it. 

“The pin is 1313, Monkey. We’ll meet you at the hotel for dinner and we’re spending the night before heading to the island. Make it count.” He winked at them. “We’ll let you girls catch up.”

Ji Hoo gave them a saucy little wave and his sweet flash of a grin too. “Have fun you two, see you for dinner.”

“What job? Why is he giving you his card?” Ga Eul asked as Jae Kyung swept them off and into a waiting limo. 

“Shopping,” Jae Kyung answered with a huge smile on her face.

“Shopping?” Jan Di asked, a frown creasing her brows and bringing down her lips.

“Yes, Woo Bin wants me to take you two shopping and to buy anything you want or need for this trip, and I’m not to take no for an answer.” She grinned mischievously at them. “We all know that I always get my way, so don’t fight me girlfriends. Dubai is a shopping mecca!”

Ga Eul knew there was no way to fight this, Jae Kyung was a natural force of nature. She pulled out her phone and texted. 

_Well played Woo Bin. Well played._

An answer quickly came back. _LOL, of course._

***

They had returned to the hotel overburdened with bags from Dior, Chanel, Gucci, and more that Ga Eul couldn’t even remember. As expected, Jae Kyung was merciless when it came to spending Woo Bin’s money. The more Jan Di and Ga Eul objected or tried to pull her back, the more she would buy, a devilish sparkle in her eye. Finally, Ga Eul was afraid to even look at anything in the exclusive outrageously expensive boutiques and stores Jae Kyung was dragging them through. 

Woo Bin just looked at them with all their bags and raised a single brow and asked, “Is that all? Really?”

Ga Eul had stuttered out an apology, and Jan Di spit out an angry retort but they were ignored as Jae Kyung handed him back his card and huffed. “They are amazingly resistant to buying things.”

Ji Hoo chuckled. “Really? We never would have known.”

“They started to stare at the floor,” Jae Kyung complained. “They stopped even looking at things.”

“We got quite enough for a week’s vacation,” Jan Di spoke up, her eyes spitting fire. “Do you know how much some of these dresses cost? And a four hundred dollar bikini? Really? I could feed an entire family of four for a year on what we spent!”

“It’s hard to believe she’s a billionaire’s girlfriend, isn’t it?” Woo Bin quipped, as he looked at Jan Di and crossed his arms across his chest. “Really, honey, how do you think your life is going to be when Jun Pyo returns to Korea?”

“He’ll just bulldoze her, just like he always does.” Jae Kyung giggled. 

“Jan Di is pretty bulldozer resistant.” Ji Hoo spoke up in her defense. “When it comes to spending money, it’s going to be quite the war.”

“Thank you, Woo Bin-sunbae and Jae Kyung-unnie,” Ga Eul spoke up, remembering her manners. “It was very kind of you to buy us what we needed for this trip.” 

“You’re most welcome, kitten.” Woo Bin grinned, knowing he had won. “Let’s go eat now.”

***

Woo Bin’s island was spectacular. It was built to look like the two towering yet tiny Dokdo islands, but with a stretch of beach and small luxury hanoks built into the steep hill on one side. The hanoks had the traditional Korean look to them with their curved roofs and timber and paper walls. Each was beautifully built not only to look historically accurate but to include every modern comfort as well, including a blend of western-style and Korean furnishings and fixtures. Where Jun Pyo’s island on New Caledonia was an opulent tropical paradise, this island blended extravagant luxury with timeless Korean elegance.

The hanok walls opened up to let the sea breeze and sounds of the waves sweep through the interior. From her bed she could see over the deep blue-green waves and into the horizon. The bed was western, with gauzy hanging drapes around it. She sat captivated by the scenery on her bed. Every once in a while, when she didn’t expect them to be able to shock her anymore with their exorbitant show of wealth, the F4 would once again stun her. This was one of those times.

They had eaten dinner under the stars surrounded by small paper lanterns. It turned out that Jae Kyung-unnie and Woo Bin had been working on a project in Taiwan together on behalf of their respective families, Woo Bin’s family’s Il-Sim Construction being the ‘blue-chip’ of Korean construction companies and Jae Kyung’s family expanding one of their many manufacturing sites. To Ga Eul’s eyes, they seemed to get along really well, and Woo Bin just grinned and said he wanted to surprise them when Jan Di asked him why he hadn’t told them he had been seeing Jae Kyung-unnie before now. Ga Eul always liked Ha Jae Kyung, she had been placed in such an awkward and difficult position of being Jun Pyo’s fiancé when the rest of them were trying to break their engagement up. But she was a genuinely kind, nice and funny person and a good friend. She was terribly lonely as so many of the ultra-rich kids or young adults were, having grown up all over the world surrounded by bodyguards and staff. Unlike the F4 she had never been long enough in one place to make any true friendship bonds, and had seemed to acquire Jan Di and then Ga Eul as her only girlfriends in some bizarre way, despite her past engagement to Jan Di’s boyfriend. She now also claimed the F4 as friends, seeming to be able to mix in at ease with them, especially in some strange way with her ex-fiancé Gu Jun Pyo.

Ga Eul found she was not able to sleep as she sat overlooking the black waves touched by moonlight late in the night. She had lit her space up with the candles that had been placed ever so perfectly for such a reason in her room. She had been woken by what she thought was a plane, but when she got up everything had that hush of late night with only the crash of the waves breaking the silence. Suddenly she heard a shriek in the distance that sounded rather like Jan Di, and she hurried to go check out what was going on. As she flew down the dark path to the next hanok over she crashed into someone.

“Mianhae,” she gasped out as strong hands grabbed her to stop her from falling. She drew her breath in sharply as she looked up. “Yi Jung-sunbae?..”

“Ga Eul-yang, what are you doing running around in the dark.”

“I… Jan Di…” Confusion made her stutter as she looked up at him, the shadows hiding his expression. “Where did you come from, Sunbae? Why are you here?”

“Jun Pyo and I just arrived,” He rubbed a hand over his forehead and continued in a slightly exasperated voice. “We didn’t intend to wake anyone, but Jun Pyo decided to go surprise Jan Di rather than wait until morning. I bet the entire island is up now, come on Ga Eul, I’ll walk you back to your room.”

“Oh it’s not far, it’s right there.” She led him back to her hanok. “Where is yours?”

He looked down at the key in his hand. “Hmm, on the other side it seems.”

“Do you want to come in and talk for a bit, Sunbae?” she asked, surprising them both. She found that she didn’t want to let him go, that they had been apart too long. He was silent for the longest of times, making her fidget slightly as she waited. “Oh, you must be tired. Never mind, we can talk tomorrow.”

“No, I want to come in.” He had a tone to his voice she didn’t recognize, but it made her heart flutter nervously for a moment.

“It was a long flight? Would you like a drink?” She asked, leading him into the large open room that combined her bedroom with the outside. The candles were still flickering, lighting up them up with golden light.

“Yes, something cool would be fine.” Yi Jung watched as she got out a couple of cool glass bottles of Perrier from the well-hidden mini-fridge. She was wearing a simple tank top and a pair of little sleeping shorts with a frill around the bottom and she looked as sexy as hell to him, especially bent over like that. He brushed his hand over his eyes to settle himself before she turned back around, and brought him a drink while sinking to sit beside him on the small chaise at the end of her bed that overlooked the ocean.

“It’s a good surprise.” She turned a shy smile to him, making his heart beat quickly and his throat go dry.

“What is?” He had lost his train of thought to his chagrin and had completely forgotten what they were talking about.

“You.” She leaned back, bracing herself on her hands. “I didn’t think you were coming.”

“Well, of course, I was coming. How could I not come to a very rare invite to the Song private island to celebrate my best friend’s birthday.” He shot her his grin, flashing his dimples. “Besides, I needed to see my girl.”

Her eyes widened at him. “Am I?”

“Are you what?” He teased, knowing just how that particular smile affected her.

“Your girl?” She was serious he realized, her eyes wide but clear, her bow-like mouth straight.

“Yes,” he whispered his voice husky and he couldn’t resist that mouth anymore and leaned over to kiss her. He felt her initial tension dissipate as her lips softened under his and she relaxed into his kiss. He coaxed her lips open and twined his tongue with hers, enticing her to open to him. God, he wanted her, more desperately than he had wanted anything before in his life. But she was Chu Ga Eul, a good innocent girl and he couldn’t move too quickly for her. He reluctantly released her lips and placed his forehead on hers, his hands holding her arms as he looked into her big brown eyes. “My only girl.”

“Sunbae…” Her soft voice said in wonder, her tone turning the honorific into an intimate term of endearment he felt right down through his body. He could tell she was both touched and hesitant at the same time. 

“It’s okay, I can wait.” He kissed her gently on the forehead and pushed himself away, intending to let her go and go find his room.

Ga Eul looked at him, at his beautifully masculine face, and could see the warmth in his eyes. She was almost twenty years old and had only been kissed. She was with the man she loved in her room in the soft embracing darkness of the night, and he was willing to wait. She made a sudden decision, she knew he was a playboy and had way more experience than she could imagine, and she knew that he hadn’t made any kind of real commitment to her and likely never would, but she wanted him. At the very least, she would have a beautiful memory of the time she loved this elusive beautiful boy.

“Who said you needed to wait?” She asked, and she reached out to put her hand on his arm to stop him from moving further away. “Remember what I once told you about children, and their lack of hesitation when they want something.”

He looked slightly shocked at her, that panty-melting smile wiped clean. “That they know if they don’t grab what they want they will cry.”

“Yes, I know what I want and I think you want the same, Sunbae.”

“What if grabbing what we want will make you cry in the end?” Once again she had pushed him into unfamiliar territory, making him unsure and uneasy, afraid of her. For her. This time he wasn’t going to run away.

“That may happen, but I still know what I want, what I have always wanted.”

“I’m not a good guy.” He brushed her hair back from her face, needing to touch her. “You know that.”

“I do know that. It doesn’t change how I feel.” She gave him a tremulous smile and he could see how brave she was being, putting all her cards out on the table for him. “Besides, I know you’re a better guy than you think.”

“I’ll try to be a good guy for you.” He reached out and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her again. He allowed himself to touch her, to gently explore her back and the swell of her hips as he kept their tongues entwined, their mouths sealed in a passionate kiss. He picked her up, keeping her distracted with his mouth, and moved her to the bed properly. He settled her and left her lips and planted little kisses along her jaw and down her neck to rest on her pulse point where he could feel her heart beating rapidly. Suckling gently for a moment he then slid his fingers under her tank, skimming his hand across her flat stomach and he could feel her quick intake of breath at his touch. 

“Shhh, I’ll be very good to you, Ga Eul-yang,” he whispered against her throat. There was no way he could refuse what she was offering right now. He had gone way too long without sex and had been dreaming about her just this way for years now. 

“I know Yi Jung. I trust you.” She put her arms gingerly around his shoulders and smiled at him to let him know she was all right with this.

Yi Jung needed no further encouragement and he took her lips with his again and slipped his hands under her tank, along her ribs and exploring her body, sliding over her skin. He released her from his kiss long enough to pull the tank over her head and she gasped, her arms dropping to cross over her breasts instinctively. 

“Are you scared?” he asked, gentling her with his touch on her body as he propped himself on one elbow and looked down at her. Her eyes were huge and anxious on his, her lips were kiss-swollen and trembling. 

“No,” she lied, and she put her hands on his chest to play with the buttons on his shirt, releasing one.

He smiled that melting smile he had and gave her the space to undo his shirt while soothing her with his touch. He leaned until his mouth was only centimeters from hers, and she wanted to close that tiny gap desperately. “Liar,” he whispered and kissed her again before trailing small kisses and nips down her neck and chest until he reached her straining pink nipples. Taking one into the heat of his mouth he suckled gently before releasing it and blowing cool air on it, keeping his eyes on her face. She gasped at the sensation, her eyes holding his. “You like this?”

She nodded wordlessly and he teased her other nipple with his fingers while he lapped and suckled and blew on her first one making her squirm. She was so responsive to his delight, her breath growing choppy and her eyes closed as she allowed him to touch her. He trailed his hand down and played with the elastic waistband of her shorts before he slipped his hand down and raked his fingers gently through her curls. She gasped out loud and stiffened.

He returned to her mouth and kissed her gently as he slid his hand further down and touched her wetness. He hid his smile in her neck as she slammed her legs shut. He was more turned on than he had ever been at the thought that he was the first to touch her like this. He had never fooled around with virgins, with nice girls with breakable hearts, as they were way too much work and only led to trouble, but here he was with her. It was going to be a new experience for both of them. 

“It’s ok, let me touch you, sweetheart,” he soothed, making his voice soft and alluring. He could feel her relax as he kissed her face, along her jaw, and down her neck and back up to her lips and he slipped his finger just inside her folds letting her get accustomed to him touching her there. Quickly he found the little nub of nerves and circled it with his thumb, and she made a small sound of distress as she rocked her hips against his touch. 

“Sunbae…” she gasped out and he slipped a finger into her depths as he kept his thumb on her clit, gently circling it. He had always envisioned her calling him _Sunbae_ that in just that tone. She was so damn hot and tight, clenching around his finger. He closed his eyes for a moment to center himself, at this rate he was worried that he was going to blow before she did and that would surely ruin his Casanova reputation. 

“Yi Jung… ahh…” Good, she was going to be a vocal one and he loved vocal lovers. He redoubled his efforts, watching her face as he worked her. Her eyes were clenched closed and those full pink lips were swollen and open as she moved with his hand making little sounds of pleasure. He slipped another finger inside, scissoring them before pumping them in and out. To his surprise, he could feel her hymen still intact and with a quick motion, he pushed through it with his fingers. She drew in her breath at the sudden pain, her eyes flying open and meeting his. 

“That’s my good girl, the painful part is over.” He leaned over and kissed her as he twisted his hand inside her, hitting that rough spot deep inside in tandem with pressing her clit. He could feel her begin to shudder and pulled back wanting to watch her face as he pushed her over. She was clinging to him, her little hands digging into his arms and her eyes were closed as she finally convulsed around his hand, a flood of wetness soaking it. God she was beautiful, he thought, watching her face. 

He pulled his fingers out and quickly stripped off his own clothing and her little sleeping shorts before settling between her thighs, his heavy erection cradled between her legs. He framed her face with his hands and kissed her. 

“Ga Eul-yang,” he called her out of her stupor, her big eyes blinking lazily at him. “I need you now, sweetheart. Are you sure?” He was a gentleman after all, and he wanted to give her one last chance to back out, although if she did he was sure it would kill him.

She nodded at him trustingly and wound her arms around his back and he slowly pushed into her, inch by pleasure-painful inch keeping his eyes on hers to make sure he wasn’t hurting her. Finally, he was seated deep inside her body, his cock strangled by her wet heat. “You’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Her lips were soft and pink under his gaze and with a groan, he kissed her again as he began to move. He slipped a hand between them to strum her clit and could feel her breath quicken as she found his rhythm and began to move with him. How delightfully responsive her body was, he moved harder and aggressive, his hands catching her hips as he drove himself into her heat. 

“Fuck,” he muttered. So long, it had been so long since he’d done this. Her hot mouth found his throat and suckled on him making his eyes close and his teeth clench. She was going to make him cum before her, dammit and he plunged faster and buried his face in her throat, groaning with every thrust, lost in the unrelenting rhythm. 

Ga Eul found herself flying apart again, and she arched into him as tremors spread from her center, rippling through her body for the second time. She sobbed with the ache of it, anchoring herself to him. When she came down to earth he was still buried deep in her, her head cradled in his hands as he moved lazily and slowly within her. His eyes were dark and sated and he had a sinfully sexy little smile on his face. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on her forehead before withdrawing and lying down beside her, pulling her with him into his side. 

“That was wonderful,” he said kissing her hair and caressing her soothingly in a light possessive touch. She felt sticky between her legs, but warm and loved as she cuddled close. Feeling suddenly drowsy she let his soft touch and warm body soothe her into sleep. 

Yi Jung was overwhelmed by the girl now sleeping in his arms. He had just had one of the best sexual experiences of his life, with a girl with no experience in a very vanilla way. She was so damn responsive to his touch and he suddenly realized that she would be _exactly_ how he taught her to be in bed. He would be her one and only and he felt a surge of possessiveness and excitement at the thought. She had murmured _I love you_ before she drifted off and he thought it only right to respond, even if she was now sleeping.

“I love you too,” he told her and he gathered her sleeping body closer and kissed her on her head again, feeling comfortable with her in his arms, she fit to him perfectly as she nestled close in her sleep as if she had been made for him and him alone.

***  
The week had flown by too fast, Ga Eul thought as she stared out the window of the plane that was flying her fast away from Yi Jang. It had been incredible, one of the most intensely wonderful experiences of her life. She felt emotionally drained and wavered between being ecstatically happy and painfully sad now that it was over.

Yi Jung had spent every night in her room, not bothering to check into his own. They had finally become a real couple and she had never imagined how he could make her body come alive, how he could make her come apart with his touch. She knew he would be an exceptional lover, he was the Korean Casanova after all, but she never imagined exactly what that would mean. 

The actual vacation had seesawed between calm, relaxation in unmitigated tranquility and a wild weekend when Song Woo Bin had actually hosted a huge three-day party on the island with the rich kids of Dubai flying and boating in, as well as some other Internationals including Koreans who he knew that were in the UAE. Of course, Woo Bin, Jae Kyung, and Jun Pyo had the time of their lives entertaining the guests, having met a few of them through business and telling them to bring friends so that the population of the island for the weekend grew to over one hundred spoiled, obscenely rich young people having a good time.

The Dubai guests reminded Ga Eul of the F4 in many ways, flaunting their extravagant wealth and exorbitant lifestyle, coming in on helicopters, yachts, and speedboats. One guy even brought his pet tiger. She was glad when the weekend was over, although it had been fun it had also been noisy, busy, and exhausting and she had never been so glad as to have Yi Jung make sure she didn’t get lost in the chaos of it. He and the rest of the F4 navigated the social demands of the Dubai Emiratis with ease, and she noted once more that they all spoke English as a common language, although there were plenty of other languages being spoken. She was thankful for the extra English lessons that she and Jan Di had been taking together as she was able to follow most of the conversation much better than she had in New York.

She had felt slightly dispirited the night before it was time to go back home. Yi Jung had made love to her so very slowly and gently that night, it felt as if it were far more than sex as if he was memorizing her body, cherishing every part of her, and they curled up on the lounge outside tangled together afterward looking at the stars and had spent the rest of the night entwined together and talking quietly. They both hadn’t wanted to sleep before leaving Dubai. There would be time to sleep on the planes that would take them in opposite directions. 

He had kissed her when she left and whispered _I love you_ in her ear and she held onto those words to keep herself from falling completely apart. Who knew if they were true, but to her, they were a lifeline. She was back to a long-distance relationship, but now it seemed like it was going to be even more daunting than before she had made love with him. 

She sighed heavily and glanced at Jan Di. Jan Di’s eyes caught hers and she could see her own emotions and feelings echoed in them. Jan Di was feeling the exact same way about leaving Jun Pyo, she realized. Ga Eul reached out and put her hand on Jan Di’s. Jan Di smiled sadly at her and put her other hand on top. 

“It doesn’t get easier,” she whispered so only Ga Eul could hear. “It gets harder every time.”

Ga Eul gulped and nodded her understanding at her best friend and turned to stare out the window as Jan Di did the same, their hands clasped tightly together as the miles between them and their lovers grew every minute. At least they had each other, Ga Eul thought. It would be so much worse to be alone.


	6. TWO AND A HALF YEARS

_“Being in a long-distance relationship forces you to learn to communicate well, and there is no other skill more essential to long-term relationship success.” Lisa McKay_

Late August 2011 – Korea

Ga Eul chewed on the end of her pencil nervously and glanced at the clock on the wall. Thirty more minutes, she thought, thirty more minutes until her shift was over and she could go to her appointment. Luckily the porridge shop had been quiet today, but in her stress, she had already dropped a full tray of dishes and spilled a glass of water on a customer’s lap. Master had just clucked his tongue at her and shook his head at her clumsiness. Jan Di kept glancing at her as if she knew something was wrong.

She was actually petrified. That first time she made love with Yi Jung they hadn’t used protection. The rest of the time they used condoms, but that first time had been spontaneous and unexpected and perfect and beautiful. They hadn’t talked about it afterward, and she hadn’t thought much about it, but now… now she was _late._

Oh, she had always been slightly irregular and had never really paid attention to her cycle, but she hadn’t been sexually active and never thought much about it. Well, she was thinking about it now. She felt very alone at the moment, not having anyone she could talk to about her fears. Jan Di tried pushing her, but she was afraid that she'd tell Jun Pyo in one of their marathon late-night phone calls when she was exhausted. Her girlfriends in school were nowhere close enough to confide in. Her mother would be scandalized, her father outraged. No, she couldn’t possibly talk to them. Finally, there was no way in hell she’d ever feel comfortable right now to talk to Yi Jung about it, insecurity and worry about his reaction freezing her to the core.

She remembered their last few chats, how short and one-sided they were. How she lied to him. How she had been avoiding any real communication with him this couple of weeks or so, not answering his calls and texting back in short answers, always with the same excuse. She knew she was behaving badly.

_“Ga Eul-yang, what is wrong. You are so quiet, sweetheart.”_

_“I’m just busy and tired, Sunbae,” she lied, not wanting to tell him her worries. “I have to go now, I have lots of work to do.”_

Her phone rang again, she looked at it. Yi Jung. She put it back in her pocket, silencing it. He must have just woken up in Sweden and called her right away but she couldn’t bear to talk to him right now. It made her feel worse, guilty to be brushing him off.

Finally, it was time and she took off her apron, grabbing her bag, and ran out of the shop with a quick wave at Jan Di and the Master. She had an appointment with her gynecologist and would find out for better or worse. She kept her head down as she hurried to the doctor’s offices. _Please, please, please let it just be late._

***

Late August 2011 – Sweden

Yi Jang sat across from Jun Pyo who was currently sprawled in the chair opposite him, a glass of red wine in one hand and his trademark sulky pout on his face. He had been in France for a business meeting and had taken advantage of the proximity to take a quick jaunt to Sweden to visit him. He had to admit it was a welcome visit for the moment since it distracted him from the fact that his girlfriend had been blowing him off lately.

Oh, she was never rude, never not answering his calls or texts but her answers were clipped and short, their conversations brief and minimal. He wasn’t sure what had gone wrong, but he was worried. He was so far away, and he couldn’t see her in person. It was aggravatingly frustrating, to be honest. Girls never blew him off this way, he blew them off for god’s sake and Ga Eul wasn’t just any girl. She was the first girl he’d ever slept with who was important, dammit. His first and likely last real _I really want to make this last forever_ girlfriend.

“Aish, it’s so fucking frustrating.” Jun Pyo echoed his thoughts as he took a sip of his wine. “I mean, why does she insist on working not one but two part-time jobs? It’s wearing her out. She still won’t touch the account, a very generous account I might add, that I set up for her use. She’s not touched a single won in two and a half years.”

“At least your girlfriend is still talking to you.” Yi Jung said. “Mine is giving me the semi-silent treatment. I know something is wrong. Why won’t she tell me?”

“Pfft, Jan Di tells me I’m too clingy, that I call and text her too much and she complains when I finally find time to video chat that it’s 3 AM for her. In France, she told me I don’t call or text enough, that she felt isolated and lonely. I don’t get it.”

“This is the first time I’ve done the boyfriend thing,” Yi Jang admitted. “Maybe I’m just bad at it?” 

He frowned, trying to think of where he was going wrong. He contacted her daily, never missed their Sunday FaceTime dates, and sent her small thoughtful gifts. Hell, he had given up other women and excessive partying for her. Why was he getting frozen out right after they had finally become a real couple when they had finally become intimate? What had he done wrong?

“Bah, I suck at it too apparently,” Jun Pyo said. “I’ve sucked at it from the start. I can do the big surprises, the fireworks and the light shows, but I failed so many times at protecting Jan Di and hurt her so many more. I think now, she believes I’m incapable of looking after her and doesn’t trust that I’ll keep her safe. That is why she won’t use my money and insists on working.”

“She is very independent. Likely she is worried that your mother is going to get active again and doesn’t want to be depending on Shinhwa Corp funds. Then again, maybe it’s a commoner thing, they don’t have anything but pride. Ga Eul is similarly resistant to spending my money.”

A smug expression came over Jun Pyo’s face and he sat back, crossing his arms in a self-satisfied way. “I know exactly how to deal with Jan Di and her jobs.”

“How?” Yi Jung asked, knowing that Jun Pyo’s plans for Jan Di rarely worked as he expected them to.

“I’m going to propose,” he stated with a smirk making Yi Jung’s eyes widen with surprise.

“What?!”

He smiled his arrogant smile, the one Yi Jung knew meant he had made his mind up. “As my fiancé, she can’t possibly continue to work two jobs and she’ll have to use my money.”

“Seriously, _that_ is your solution to your girlfriend working?” Yi Jung shook his head slightly at the thought. Jun Pyo always overdid these things, _always_. “I thought you both agreed to wait until you returned to Korea. Doesn’t Jan Di want to finish medical school first?”

“We did, but I am going to marry that girl,” Jun Pyo stated cockily. “Why should I wait to be engaged to her? I’m going to buy the biggest fucking diamond I can find and put it on her finger.”

“Yeah, that’s going to work.” Yi Jung said sarcastically, thinking of Jan Di’s personality.

“Yah! Of course, it will!” Jun Pyo raised his voice as he swatted the air, emphasizing his ire at the doubt Yi Jung vocalized. Luckily, Yi Jung’s phone started ringing, saving him from the Shinhwa heir’s tantrum.

Chu Ga Eul. Finally, _she_ was calling _him_. He held his finger up to quiet Jun Pyo and mouthed _it’s her_ at him, a wide grin of excitement on his face. Jun Pyo settled back, his eyes full of interest, and crossed his arms across his chest again. Never in his life would he have guessed that Yi Jung would be interested in Jan Di’s little friend Chu Ga Eul. Yi Jung dated women who looked like models or movie stars and very briefly at that, and while Ga Eul was really cute, okay you could even say beautiful actually, she really wasn’t in that caliber, yet here he was watching the great Casanova of the F4 reacting to her call like a middle school boy with his first crush.

“Hello, Ga Eul-yang,” he answered smoothly, his eyes sparkling and a real smile on his face. Jun Pyo watched as that smile slowly disappeared and Yi Jung’s eyes turned into that icy black fire that meant he was… angry. What had the girl just told him?

“What did you just say?” His voice was now icy with fury. All the F4 knew just how bad Yi Jung’s temper could be under his cool collected mask. “Why didn’t you tell me? Seriously, Ga Eul, how could you not? This wasn’t your problem to deal with alone. There are two of us involved, right?”

Yi Jung held a finger up at him before turning away. “You need to trust me with this kind of stuff. This relationship isn’t going to work if you keep things away from me, especially things like that.”

Jun Pyo was now feeling sorry for the girl on the receiving side of that deadly ice-cold tone. Whatever she had done had really upset Yi Jung. 

“For fuck’s sake don’t start crying now,” he bit out, his voice sharp. Yi Jung was now pacing back and forth in front of him, running his free hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

The pacing slowed as he listened to what she was saying. Finally, he took a deep breath and seemed to deflate to Jun Pyo. “It turned out okay, right? It’s fine now, no need to be upset.”

“Sweetheart, no I’m not mad, calm down.” His voice had softened losing that icy tone. Liar, he had been furious, but it looked like Ga Eul was winning this round. “Look if something like that happens again, just share it with me. I’m not going to be upset, okay?”

“It was my fault, sorry. I should have been prepared. It won’t happen again.” He now turned to face Jun Pyo, his hand wearily rubbing his forehead, and seemed to have forgotten entirely that Jun Pyo was there. “Yes, you’re right it was both our decision. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Yes, okay.” He sighed, his voice totally smooth and softened now, looking up at the sky as he listened to whatever Ga Eul was saying to him, making Jun Pyo smirk. Winner, Chu Ga Eul. “No problem, sweetheart. Yes, I’ll call you later.”

He now looked at Jun Pyo and snapped his phone closed. “Fuck. Everything is fine, a false alarm. At least now I know why she was avoiding talking to me. Stupid woman.”

“Care to share?” Jun Pyo asked, curiosity consuming him.

“Hell no.” Yi Jung glared at him, there was no way in hell he would ever tell Jun Pyo or anybody else about Ga Eul’s pregnancy scare. It had really been his fault, he was the experienced one and for the first time in his life he had totally neglected his responsibilities to his partner, however, she should have told him when she first worried about it instead of pushing him away. She had ended up telling him she was getting an IUD which would make it easier on both of them when and if they could meet up again, although who the hell knew when that would be. In the meantime, they were going to have to work on the trust and communication part of their relationship. “You worry about your problems with your own woman, I’ll deal with my girl by myself.”  
***

Early December 2011 – Korea

Ji Hoo found himself sitting across from a woman he had never met before, a woman that Jun Pyo had mentioned meeting and had told him to look up. He had mentioned the girl at dinner with Woo Bin, and Woo Bin had tried to find her but couldn’t and it had seemed like he was in the clear. However, his luck ran out when Woo Bin mentioned looking for a Miss Kim Bong Cha since Jun Pyo had thought her compatible with Ji Hoo while they were at Sunday Brunch, and Jan Di perked up immediately, claiming that there was such a girl a couple of years after her from Shinwha.

Before he knew it, Jan Di and Woo Bin had taken it upon themselves to find the lady in question and set him up on the blind date. Oh, Kim Bong Cha was an attractive enough girl and had joined Shinhwa the year after the F4 graduated, but he really couldn’t understand how he found himself sitting across from her at dinner at one of the hottest new restaurants in Seoul.  
Not only that but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what Jun Pyo had been talking about, she wasn’t connecting with him at all. She was nice enough and could carry a conversation, but there was something lacking. He however was a gentleman and would be charming and ensure she would enjoy their date, but he really wasn’t interested in pursuing her for a second one.

Suddenly his phone went off, and he glanced at it quickly to see who it was and to his surprise, it was Bundang Jesaeng Hospital. 

“Excuse me, I need to take this,” he told his date and picked it up.

It was indeed the hospital for him, they were telling him that Geum Jan Di had fallen down a set of stairs at work and was unconscious with a head injury. They were unable to contact any family and he was the first person they were able to reach. Throwing down some cash for dinner, Ji Hoo hastily excused himself and rushed off to the hospital. He was feeling extra anxious because he knew exactly which stairs Jan Di had fallen down, the ones outside his own small museum where they were steep and prone to getting icy.

It was dark by the time he arrived, and he rushed through the emergency to the nurse’s station and found out that Jan Di had been there all day before they were able to open her phone and they called all the numbers most recently called in order, he apparently was third after her mother and Jun Pyo. Christ, she’d been in the hospital for about thirteen hours since her accident at approximately 6:30 AM. Luckily, Miss Geum had regained consciousness fairly recently and was currently under observation in a room.

He made his way to her room, and sure enough, there was Jan Di looking small and forlorn sitting in her hospital bed, a bandage around her head and her eyes dark and bruised looking. 

“Oi, Jan Di, what did you do this time?” Ji Hoo asked as he automatically went to her and started lifting the bandage from her head to take a look.

“It snowed unexpectedly overnight, and I slipped,” she answered, giving him a wobbly little grin. “I’m fine though, really. They wouldn’t give me my phone, saying I have a concussion. I just want to go home.”

“You have been unconscious for hours, I just got the call now,” He gently pressed around the large contusion on her forehead. “Have they given you a CAT scan yet?”

“No, I don’t need one. Besides, that would be overkill. I don’t need to spend money on something so unnecessary.” Jan Di got that stubborn pout on her face, one that Ji Hoo knew all too well, however, he wasn’t going to let her override him on this.

“I don’t care about the cost, Jan Di. You have a huge bruise on your head. I’m going to order a CAT scan right now.” Ji Hoo exited the room, ignoring her sounds of protest behind him. He went to the nurse’s station and requested to speak to the doctor in charge of Jan Di’s care. It took about twenty minutes or so before the physician in charge showed up and they had a quick discussion, Ji Hoo insisting on a CAT scan. Once he had arranged one to his satisfaction he returned to Jan Di’s room to wait with her. After about an hour they were ready for her CAT scan.

As they were about to leave the room, Ji Hoo could hear a familiar booming voice making a disturbance at the nurse's desk. “Just a second Jan Di, let me see what that is about.”

He headed down the hall and sure enough a very disgruntled and upset Jun Pyo was verbally assaulting the poor nurse on duty, demanding to know where Geum Jan Di was.

“Jun Pyo, she’s fine,” he called to his friend.

“Thank god you’re here,” Jun Pyo rushed over to him. “Where is Jan Di? What happened?”

“She fell down the stairs while at work. I’ve arranged for a CAT scan for her, but she is awake and conscious,” Ji Hoo told him calmly. “Why are you here?”

“I got an emergency call from the hospital on my voicemail and couldn’t reach her or her parents. I took my jet right over as soon as it could fly.” Jun Pyo ran his hands over his eyes, and Ji Hoo could see how disheveled he was, how panicked and frightened, he must have been stressing for the entire fourteen-hour flight from New York. “I skipped out on an important meeting, my sister is going to kill me. I have an even more important one in less than twenty hours, but I had to come. What if something serious happened to her? Why the hell didn’t they call my secretary? Shouldn’t I be her number one emergency number?”

“You know you’re her boyfriend, not her husband or fiancé. Of course, they’ll call her parents first. Unfortunately, I can’t reach them either.” Ji Hoo stopped at Jan Di’s door and gestured for Jun Pyo to go in. “Well, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you. Go on in, I’ll go down and tell them to delay her CAT scan for a little bit so you can say hello.”

Ji Hoo made himself comfortable in the waiting area just down the hall to allow the two of them some alone time. The elevator opened and out popped Woo Bin and Ga Eul, who was clutching her bag nervously and looked like she was about to cry.

“Ji Hoo sunbae!” She cried as soon as she saw him, rushing over and standing in front of him, Woo Bin trailing after her. “Jan Di… Is she… is she alright?”

“She’s fine, just going for a CAT scan as a precaution as soon as Jun Pyo comes out.”

“Jun Pyo?! How did he get here?” Ga Eul asked, her brows coming together in confusion. “Isn’t he in New York?”

“He apparently got a panicky call and took his private jet right over.” Ji Hoo explained.

“Jan Di has a hard head, I told you she’d be fine kitten.” Woo Bin said, coming up beside her. “But I never expected Jun Pyo to fly right over.”

“He’s in there right now,” Ji Hoo said, pointing to the door. Just as he finished his sentence a very disappointed looking Jun Pyo came out, running a hand through his extremely messy hair. He looked like he’d been flying all night, what with his wrinkled clothing and five o’clock shadow.

“Oh, you’re all here,” He greeted the waiting group. “I’ll take her down for the CAT scan, but I have to leave as soon as the results come in.”

“You okay bud?” Woo Bin asked, looking at him with concern.

“I got rejected,” he said, his normal exuberance gone and his voice barely audible.

“You got what?” Woo Bin pushed, his eyes full of confusion as Ji Hoo and Ga Eul crowded around him.

“I got rejected,” Jun Pyo repeated. “She said something about having things she needs to clear up first.” He sighed heavily.

“Ah, well…” Ga Eul started to say, but her words trailed off. Jan Di came out of her room in a wheelchair with a nurse to go down for her CAT scan. 

“I’m going down with Jan Di,” Jun Pyo said as he moved to take the wheelchair overriding the nurse’s objections. “I am leaving right after her results, so I’ll say bye right now.”

“Okay, see ya, Bud,” Woo Bin stated as Ga Eul and Ji Hoo waved and said their own goodbyes.

“Let’s wait in her room,” Ga Eul suggested. The group of three friends went into the room. On the table beside the bed was a blue velvet jewelry box.

“Oh my god,” Ga Eul exclaimed in shock when she opened it. “Have you ever seen a bigger diamond?!”

Woo Bin and Ji Hoo came over and looked at the diamond ring that Jun Pyo had proposed with. As expected it was huge, likely the biggest one he could find knowing Jun Pyo.

“Looks like he forgot it,” Woo Bin smirked as he took in the size of it.

“I’ll take it for him and give it back to him,” Ji Hoo said, and he took the box from Ga Eul’s hands and snapped it shut placing it in his breast pocket.

“Who leaves a million-dollar ring in a hospital room?” Woo Bin questioned, his eyes full of amusement.

After a time, Jan Di was returned to her room, but without Jun Pyo, he had already left to return to New York once he was sure that Jan Di got the all-clear medically. 

Ji Hoo stepped out of the room quickly and dialed him. “Jun Pyo, you forgot the ring.”

“What? Oh, I’m already on the plane. I’ll get it from you later.”

“By the way, I met that girl you told me about,” Ji Hoo said.

“Girl? I never told you about a girl…” Jun Pyo sounded confused.

“Hmm, you did. Kim Bong Cha. You said to look her up, but I didn’t really get that vibe from her.”

“What are you talking about? I was telling you about a stock to invest in,” Jun Pyo’s voice sounded annoyed. “You’re saying it wrong, it’s Chabo Kim Corporation.”

Ji Hoo sighed to himself, once again Jun Pyo messed up his words and confusing things. “When can I get you this ring?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Switzerland,” Jun Pyo answered.

“Where?!” Ji Hoo didn’t know what he was talking about.

“We’re going to Switzerland to ski this Christmas and New Year. Yah! You know how hard it is to reserve the tower suite at Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz? I had to book it in advance!”

“So, we are all going to St. Moritz in the Swiss Alps for Christmas?” Ji Hoo was stunned, not about going to Switzerland but rather that he was hearing it with a decent amount of time in advance.

“Aish! Jan Di told me I had to tell her with more time if I want her to travel or she’d not going anymore. I booked it this summer, but forgot to tell her.” He sighed heavily into the phone. “Listen, we’ve been cleared to take off, so just bring the ring to Switzerland and let everyone else know about the trip, okay?”

“Umm…alright,” Ji Hoo answered as he felt the ring box in his pocket to make sure it was still safe. “See you there then, I’ll let the others know.”

***

End of December 2011– Switzerland

There was no private jet for this trip, but Ga Eul found first-class on the plane more than extravagantly comfortable. She had been expecting a long uncomfortable flight, but they arrived in Zurich well rested after the long trip. The seats were huge and roomy and converted easily for sleeping and they were spoiled with amenities and over the top service. Ji Hoo told her that only Jun Pyo had a dedicated private jet, the rest of F4 normally used first-class charters since although Woo Bin’s family kept a private plane it was usually reserved for business purposes. She didn’t feel too bad for the poor little rich boys who had to fly first class. 

The trip from Zurich to St. Moritz was a three-hour picturesque train trip through the Alps. Ji Hoo had been responsible for arranging their transfers and Woo Bin complained that he didn’t charter a private jet for the quick jaunt into the Alps, but Ji Hoo said that the scenery wasn’t to be missed and pointed out that the two girls had never been in the Swiss Alps before. Ga Eul thought that he had made the right choice as she and Jan Di plastered themselves to the window to take in the breathtaking snow-capped mountain scenery of Switzerland.

Ga Eul and Jan Di had googled St. Moritz when they had been informed that they were going a couple of weeks ago, and they were excited to explore the exclusive Alpine town where the rich and famous spent their holidays. Apparently, the mountain resort was the birthplace for Alpine tourism and had twice hosted the Winter Olympics. It boasted what was described as a champagne climate, having an average of 322 days of sunshine, and was known for its glamour, being the second most expensive place in the world for tourism, hosting celebrities and royalty alike. Of course, traveling with F4 meant there would be no expenses spared. 

Ga Eul worried a little about the lack of Prada and Louis Vuitton items in her wardrobe, but Jan Di laughed at her and pointed out that between the two of them they had plenty of things like that, including the ski jackets and equipment which had been provided for them all those years ago when they went skiing the first time with the F4 while still in high school. They pooled their wardrobes to exchange and mix and match what they had between the two of them and had gone shopping for extra clothing, making sure to pack all their already received from previous events designer dresses for the trip not wanting to have to be subjected to yet another F4 makeover.

She was actually wearing one of her new outfits for the trip having found a really cute pleated red plaid skirt with a black sweater, a cozy black wool jacket, and a soft red scarf which she paired with some thigh high socks and cute little ankle boots that she had laced with red ribbons. She thought it looked Christmassy and suitable for the location, however, she didn’t take into account that the chilliness of being the Alpine mountains in December and thought she should have worn full leggings when the odd breeze blew up her skirt.

Ji Hoo led them off the train platform as if he knew exactly where they were going and telling the girls not to worry about their bags as their luggage would be transferred later. Two very familiar-looking forms were waiting for them, the tall never to be missed Jun Pyo who dominated the area just by standing there in a black fur-collared coat and beside him Yi Jung looking dashing in a grey tweed jacket over a soft grey cashmere sweater and dark aviators hiding his eyes. Beside her Jan Di squealed and ran for Jun Pyo, getting swept up in his arms right away as the two hugged. Ga Eul made her way to Yi Jung at a more leisurely pace although she was just as excited to see him as Jan Di was to see Jun Pyo.

“Hi there,” she said, stopping right at him. She watched as that sexy little smile of his appeared, his dimples flashing.

“Well if it isn’t Ga Eul-yang,” he said with a teasing note. “Imagine meeting you here.”

“Hmm, you’re right,” she said back, her voice playful as she pretended to stick her nose in the air and looked up and down him disdainfully. “I do say they are letting the riff-raff in this year.”

“Silly,” he responded, a laugh in his voice. “Exactly who is the riff-raff, porridge girl?”

Ga Eul made an exaggerated shocked face and pointed at herself. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” he answered and he pulled her into a hug of his own, enveloping her in his warm body, his distinctive male scent of sandalwood and heat washing over her. “I’ve missed you, sweetheart.”

“Me too,” she said, snuggling closer into his embrace.

Gun Pyo had arranged for two cars to take them to the iconic Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. The drive was magical as far as Ga Eul was concerned. The little town itself looked like it had fallen right out of a Christmas card, nestled into the snow-capped mountains and decorated with lights, Christmas greenery, and trees down its quaint snowy streets. The charming historical buildings housed luxury brand boutiques, fine restaurants, and enchanting little shops. 

Badrutt’s Palace Hotel hosted a giant Christmas tree covered with gold ornaments and lights that soared up three stories right at the entrance, and its lobby was a blend of traditional luxuriousness and elegance, tastefully decorated for the season. Jun Pyo had booked them in what he called the Tower Suite, which turned out to be a four-bedroom, three-story suite that was the actual tower of the hotel reached by a private elevator. 

The suite was exceptional, with a huge open fireplace with a crackling fire in the sitting room greeting them. It was beautifully furnished, with ornate wooden paneling to create a perfect atmosphere blending luxury and authentic alpine finishes together and had that heavenly smell of fresh Christmas trees and the wood fire throughout. Everyone agreed to take fifteen to twenty minutes to freshen up before going as a group to explore the rest of the resort.

“Do we each have a room?” Jan Di asked as she spun in a circle to decide where to go.

“Sure baby, let me show you ours,” Jun Pyo stated, a smirk on his face.

“Ours?” Jan Di stopped and put her hands on her hips to glare at him. “Jun Pyo, do you think that we are that familiar and intimate with each other that I’ll share a room with you while on vacation?”

Woo Bin just snorted at that, and Ji Hoo occupied himself with going to check out the formal dining room and kitchen of the suite to see check if it had what he needed to make pancakes. Ga Eul nibbled on her lip as she gazed nervously between the two of them as they started to argue. Surely Jan Di realized that by now that everyone knew that she would just sneak into his room at night while they were on these trips?

Yi Jung gently took her hand and quietly pulled her away from the arguing couple. “I’ll show you where you’ll be staying, sweetheart.”

Up a huge spiral staircase that rose around the circular foray of the suite they climbed to the second floor where three of the bedrooms were, the staircase continuing upward to the third floor. 

“Jun Pyo booked the hotel so he’s taking the master bedroom on the top floor,” Yi Jung told her. “But this is the second biggest and has a balcony. The view of the mountains is spectacular.”

“We all know he’d pout if he didn’t get the master bedroom,” Ga Eul said with a giggle as he opened a door and indicated for her to go in ahead of him and stepped into the luxurious room with red wallpaper, with Yi Jung right behind her.

As soon as the door closed Yi Jung pushed Ga Eul against the wall and kissed her hard and deep. He took her hands and pulled them above her head to totally dominate her, forcing her mouth open and sweeping his tongue into her mouth. He had never been so forceful with her before and she found it strangely exciting, his mouth consuming hers. Suddenly his hands released hers, and he molded them to her body and over her curves and she found herself responding with equal force, digging her hands into his hair and meeting him halfway.

He picked her up suddenly and she wound her legs around his waist, burying her face in his neck, nipping and suckling there. He groaned and moved them to the bed where he practically threw her, coming down heavily on top of her, his hands angled her head just right for another deep kiss, his hardness cradled between her legs where she was getting hot and wet, and she groaned at the feeling of him there, finding the rasp of the fabric of his pants on her bare inner thighs deeply arousing.

His hand had snaked down under her skirt and he rubbed her clit through her panties, making her hips buck and she could feel how soaked she was. She was suddenly glad she was wearing thigh high stockings instead of full leggings, having his fingers right where she wanted them with just the thin silk of her panties between them was exquisite torture.

“Fuck, girl,” he ground out, his voice heavy and growly as he ripped her panties off. “I can’t wait, it’s been too long.”

He undid his pants, pulling down his zipper, and released his cock, its hard pulsing length springing free and he slammed into her. She gasped at the suddenness of it. It was so damn hot, she thought as sensation took over and he rammed into her hard and fast and desperate. He had never been so rough with her, had always been slow and gentle and oh so very thorough, making sure she reached her peak before him, often several times. This was not loving-making, she realized. This was simple raw fucking. And she loved it.

It was over in minutes, a wild primal fuck that pulled her apart seconds before him and he collapsed on her still fully clothed, only the sound of their heavy breathing breaking the silence. After several long minutes, Yi Jung moved off her, rolling to the side one arm across his eyes, his other hand reaching for her and pulling her to him. She curled into him, his arm around her as he played gently with her hair, soothing her, a simple quietness between them.

Finally, he turned to her, pulling her into a sweet hug. “I’ve missed you Ga Eul-yang.”

“Obviously,” she mumbled, pressing her lips on the warm skin of his neck above his shirt. He chuckled and kissed her on the top of her head before letting her go and putting his pants to rights as he stood up.

“Come on, Ga Eul, let’s clean you up,” he said, a wicked grin on his face conveying total male smugness as he handed her panties to her which had been wadded up on the floor. “Who knew such a good girl could be so wild.”

Blushing furiously Ga Eul snatched them from him and getting up from the bed, pushed past him into the bathroom. Once inside she leaned back against the door, a small satisfied smile on her face. That had been so totally wild and wonderful, just what they both needed, she thought. God, she loved him.

He knocked on the door, his voice coaxing. “Come on sweetheart, let’s explore this place. The others are waiting for us.”

“Just a minute.” She quickly cleaned herself from the stickiness between her legs regretting the fact that she wouldn’t have time to shower with the others sitting in the lounge waiting for them. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. There was no hiding the languid look in her eyes and how her lips were kiss swollen. She splashed some cool water on her face and straightened her hair, before leaving the sanctuary of the bathroom. 

Yi Jung was waiting for her, looking as untouched and as impeccable as usual she thought with a small frown. It was so damn unfair he always looked so perfectly put together, even after that wild sex bout they both shared.

“Just a second,” he said and he held out a hand dangling a little black velvet bag in front of her. “It’s your Christmas gift.”

“It’s not Christmas yet…” Ga Eul stared at it with wide eyes. 

“Details. I want you to have it now.”

She reached out and took it from him, emptying it in her palm. Into her hand spilled a delicate white gold bracelet, every link fashioned into the shape of infinity. It had a single white gold charm on it with a single small shard of white pottery glazed with silver embedded in it. 

“Oh…” She breathed. “It’s beautiful.”

“I made it myself, my friend Ollie Karlsson is an artisan jeweler. He helped me design and create it.”

“You actually made it yourself?” Ga Eul was awed. 

He took it from her hand and clasped it around her wrist. “Yes, the pottery piece is from my first failed attempt at that technique. When I threw it out, that tiny piece caught my eye as it was the only part that had worked. In a way, it reminded me of you, jagged and sharp around its edges, but oh so smooth and comforting to touch, beautiful to look at, and perfect in every way despite the massive failure shattered all around it. As you are, a small piece of perfection in the massive failure of my life.”

“Your life is hardly a failure,” she whispered as she gently ran her finger over it and inspected it. On the backside, it had their initials engraved, _YJ and GE_ , an infinity symbol between them. _Yi Jung and Ga Eul, forever_. She had always been envious about the necklace that Jun Pyo had given to Jan Di all those years ago, and this was something he had made in Sweden just for her, the message in it making it all the more treasured.

“Maybe not now, but it was until you forced me to pick up the pieces. You understand, right Ga Eul-yang?” he asked, and he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear caressing her jaw. She looked up at him, her eyes huge with wonder. “You are my girl, you talk to me when something is wrong. You don’t lock me out and I will do the same for you. This is my promise to you, to remind you how important you are to me even when we’re separated.”

“You’re serious aren’t you?” she questioned, still not fully believing he’d give her such a thing. Such a precious and personal beautiful gift, every link an intimate message and the charm itself full of meaning. This was not something merely picked out of a jeweler’s case, but made specifically for her by his own hands.

“Sweetheart, I’m totally serious when it comes to you.” She could see no trace of teasing in his face, his eyes were warm and sincere, his famous smile missing. He was telling her the truth in the only way he knew how. He was telling her with the bracelet that he was thinking of a future with her, and that he really did love her.

“I love you too, Sunbae,” she answered with a sweet happy smile. He smiled back at her and gave her a little hug.

“Oh, by the way, I’m supposed to ask you if you want your own room. Jun Pyo booked you and Jan Di rooms if you’re more comfortable that way.” He gave her his sinfully smile and reached out to run his thumb over her swollen lower lip, before dropping his voice an octave and adding, “I’ll be disappointed if you do, _Ga Eul-yang_.”

She shivered at how he drew out her name with the honorific. He made her feel hot and tingly all over.

“No, I’ll share.”

“With me right?” He grinned, his voice teasing. “You’re not thinking of sharing with Jan Di I hope.”

She could feel herself grow flustered and begin to blush, so she quickly hid it by curling her lip up at him and shooting him a glare. “Pabo, I’m rethinking my previous answer now.”

He leaned over and kissed her sweetly and gently and she felt all her ire at him dissipate. Leaving her lips he placed another gentle kiss on her forehead. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ve already arranged for your bags to be brought to our room. I have two whole weeks with you here, and I intend to use them thoroughly.”

***

Ga Eul and Jan Di found themselves sitting on the edge of a flat iced-over lake, the cool of the air making their breath steam up as they nursed warm cocoa and sat rather comfortably despite the cold on a couple of chairs with blankets on their laps and propane heaters at their backs. In front of them, the F4 was gleefully occupied in a game of snow polo, racing snorting ponies up and down over the ice as they competed in two teams of two. The stakes were high, the losing team would have to pick up the tab for the hotel for all of them. Ga Eul couldn’t even imagine what the expenses would be, considering the costs of the hotel suite, restaurants, night clubs, ski tickets… on and on the list went, but the F4 were positively giddy and light-hearted about it.

This was to be their last day in St. Mortiz, the legendary New Year’s Eve party at the Badrutt’s Palace over, and everyone needed to get back to real life. She’d never forget the glitzy star-studded New Year’s Eve which put the one in New York City to shame. There were a couple of movie stars, a rock star or two, and a multitude of minor celebrities as well as one of the British Royals amongst the privileged ultra-rich that were there. Jun Pyo had of course arranged for a private box and ordered the girls the most eye-catching cocktails ever, decadent drinks dusted with gold flakes. The Dom Perignon and thousand dollar shots of cognac flowed freely. 

Ga Eul found herself tipsy before too long, with Yi Jung taking her for a ‘breath of fresh air’ that ended up with them making love standing up against the wall of the foray of their suite to take the ‘edge’ off as he put it before they returned, Ga Eul dancing the rest of the night feeling sexy and euphoric and oh so beautifully buzzed until well after midnight, at which time her very attentive boyfriend took her off to bed.

Before that they had spent their days skiing on fresh snow on the mountain slopes under sparkling sunshine, although the girls had stayed together on the beginner hills close to the base, they went ice skating under the Christmas lights, had a delightful time experiencing what was called Skijoring which was skiing or snowboarding pulled by a horse down snowy trails. Yi Jung had taken her shopping to the St Mortiz Christmas Market, which was absolutely enchanting and the kind of shopping she actually enjoyed with him as they went from booth to booth picking out small trinkets and local handicrafts and eating delicious street food and drinking mulled wine. 

Now she sat cheering on the team of Yi Jung and Woo Bin who were competing against Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo as they raced their ponies up and down the glossy surface of the ice. It was rather exciting to watch them charging back and forth as they good-naturedly yelled insults at one another. Ga Eul and Jan Di were absolutely unclear on who was winning, but it really didn’t matter as they were having so much fun.

“We’ll know it’s over when Jun Pyo either comes over with a huge smile or if he’s sulking,” Jan Di said, an amused smiled on her face.

“We’ll know who won by that too,” Ga Eul added, laughing. “I wish we weren’t going home.”

“Me too, but we have to get back to real life, Ga Eul,” Jan Di tapped her finger against her chin speculatively. “You have your extra credit classes to take during the break and I have a couple of jobs waiting.”

“I know,” Ga Eul said, taking a sip of her cocoa and letting the hot chocolaty steam warm her face. “I’ll miss him again.” She added sadly.

“And I will miss Jun Pyo,” Jan Di said. “But every time we part I know that we’re closer to our goals and that the time left is that much shorter.”

“You two have more of a commitment though,” Ga Eul admitted. “I mean, you both know the end goal. Yi Jung and I, well we’re still in the let’s see how far this ride will take us mode.”

“I think you both look pretty serious to the rest of us,” Jan Di told her. “I think you’re in for a long ride.”

“I hope so, Jan Di.” Ga Eul gave her a big smile, and she played idly with the charm on her bracelet. He had made a commitment with it, she needed to put aside her worries and fears and insecurity about him, she thought to herself. 

“Ji Hoo told me that since before Yi Jung left for Sweden he had stopped nightclubbing and that he hasn’t been on a single date since then as well.”

“Hah, you went and asked his friends!” Ga Eul felt mortified, that promise between Yi Jung and herself was just that, private, and she had no right to keep tabs on him. “That was none of your business!”

Jan Di had the grace to look slightly chastised before she grinned and said, “Aish, as if I wouldn’t ask. You’re my best friend who I love very much and you’re going out with a famous player. I don’t regret doing a bit of digging to make sure he’s not going around behind your back and breaking your heart.”

“Jan Di–“ Ga Eul started, but was cut off by loud cheering on the field and they looked up to see Jun Pyo racing his pony towards them yelling gleefully that he had won, Ji Hoo behind him with a sweet yet slightly exasperated smile on his face. Scowling behind them were Yi Jung and Woo Bin, and all four dismounted at the girls, passing their horses off to waiting attendants.

“Did you see that Jan Di!” Jun Pyo was crowing loudly. “Did you see that final goal I scored?! Baby, I’m great!”

“Umm, sure did!” Jan Di enthused, a bemused smile on her face. “So that means that Woo Bin and Yi Jung are picking up the tab?”

“Yep! Hahaha, it’s great!” Jun Pyo was overjoyed, his entire essence pulsating with exuberance.

“I hate to ask, but what would a vacation like this set them back?” Jan Di was truly curious although she was sure she’d be in actual physical pain once she knew the numbers.

“Pfft, don’t think about it woman.” Jun Pyo said, knowing that she’d likely get outraged if she knew. As if the costs were anything to the four of them. “It’s nothing.”

Both Jan Di and Ga Eul looked suspiciously at him, their imaginations going wild, but Woo Bin just laughed and said “It’s not bad.”

“Tonight’s our last night here, so I’ll get dinner.” Jun Pyo added magnanimously making the rest of them all groan.

They spent their last night at the highly celebrated Ecco St. Mortiz restaurant with its dazzling menu.

The next day, Jun Pyo’s private jet dropped them off at the Zurich Airport before he took Yi Jung back to Sweden and returned to New York. Ga Eul felt very spoiled, the F4 way of travel was becoming a much appreciated and enjoyed practice, and they seemed to have become a regular occurrence over the years. She wondered how she had allowed them to become a normal part of her life, but she wouldn’t give them up for the world because they meant that she could see Yi Jung at least once or twice a year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole Tsukushi/Jan Di accident, with Tsukasa/Jun Pyo flying in to and proposing, was in the Jewelry Box sequel.


	7. THREE YEARS

_“Long distance relationships are hard, but they’re also incredible. If you can love, trust, respect, and support each other from a distance then you’ll be unstoppable once you’re physically together.” Unknown_

February 2012 – Korea

Although the day in February was grey and gloomy with dark overcast skies and the threat of snow, Ga Eul found it a bright exciting day full of new possibilities. It was her graduation day after all. She had worked hard to be able to graduate a whole year early, completing her four-year program in education in three. She had spent every summer and winter break earning course credits to accelerate her graduation. Other than the fast, flashy vacations she’d been dragged off to with the F4, which she had absolutely no complaints about since they were always fantastic, she had concentrated on her studies. Graduating early and being able to look for a job was the payoff, which she was very glad to have achieved.

When it was her turn to go on stage Ga Eul didn’t goof off as she walked on, as most of her cohorts did, but rather just happily shook hands with the dean and the various teachers on the stage, the live orchestra playing a variety of different tunes. Once it was over, and everyone had stood up to sing the school song it was finally over. Her parents were beaming proudly as they headed outside for the picture taking and handed her an extremely ornate bouquet of traditional flowers. Then a flurry of pictures was taken, both with her alone and with her parents. That was her only regret to be honest, that none of her friends were there graduating themselves or to support her and be in her pictures.

She expected to just celebrate with just her mom and dad, seeing as she was graduating a whole year earlier than the rest of her class and friends at the University of Seoul, and her closest friends, Jan Di, Ji Hoo, and Woo Bin were busy and not available. She had received texts and calls from her friends who couldn’t make it, all wishing her congratulations and offering to take her out for dinner sometime in the next few weeks, and Yi Jung had called her first thing in the morning apologizing for not being there which she pointed out was a silly thing to be sorry for since he was abroad in Sweden, she really didn’t expect him there. 

She was leaving the school grounds with her parents, leaving the rest of the celebrating graduates behind when to her surprise Woo Bin showed up, a bunch of flowers in hand as he bounded up the steps. 

“Woo Bin-sunbae!” she exclaimed at the sight of him. “I thought you couldn’t make it.”

“I got away from work early, kitten,” He grinned at her, holding the flowers out to her. 

“Oh, thank you,” she said, taking them gratefully.

“Ga Eul, go stand there with your friend,” her father directed her, beaming with pride. They knew Song Woo Bin from the many times he had dropped by their house to pick her up and the times when he had called to inform them of her travels.

Her father happily took some pictures, practically glowing since finally, she had some friend pictures, while poor Woo Bin smiled for them. He took a couple of selfies of the two of them, which Ga Eul laughed at, giving him a light smack on his arm. “What are those for, sunbae?”

“Memories,” he answered, grinning back at her. He had every intention of sending them to Yi Jung and teasing him with the fact that he, Woo Bin, was at his precious Ga Eul’s graduation while he was stuck in Sweden. 

Woo Bin himself had graduated the week earlier with a business degree from Shinhwa College and his graduation party had been one of those huge bashes that the F4 and their social class reveled in, but with his own Woo Bin spin on it, taking place in one of the very expensive, very exclusive night clubs his father owned. The party had gone all night long, but it had been pretty enjoyable in Ga Eul’s opinion. Usually, she didn’t like clubbing, but she found when she was with Woo Bin he always made it not only super fun but feel really safe.

“Thank you, Woo Bin-sunbae.”

“So, kitten what are your plans now?” Woo Bin asked.

“Ah, well I guess I need to apply for jobs.” She considered her options. “I’m going to try for the kindergarten position at Shinhwa Elementary, Mrs. Kwan is retiring and called to tell me to apply since I have already done a couple of internships there.”

“Think you can handle teaching five-year-old chaebols?” Woo Bin laughed at the thought. “They will be obnoxious spoiled little princes and princesses, I know, I was one.”

“Hmm, I could always bring in my good friend, Geum Jan Di to deliver a flying round kick if necessary. After all, she has earned her stripes as the tamer of the notorious F4.”

He made a dramatic aghast face at her, looking truly horrified. “You wouldn’t.”

“Well, five maybe a bit too young to dropkick.”

“Hmm, I think you’ve managed some F4 taming of your own, Chu Ga Eul. And your method makes the whole drop kick unnecessary.”

Ga Eul laughed. “You’re being absurd. I’ve tamed nothing.”

Woo Bin raised his eyebrows at her dramatically. “Really? You believe that?”

“Sunbae, I have only been along for the Jan Di ride,” she answered with a sweet smile. “But seriously, I know just what I’d be getting into with the chaebol kindergarteners. After all, Jun Pyo seems to be still stuck in that grade.”

“Hahaha, good one,” he said, laughing.

“Besides, they are five. How hard could it be? Shinhwa’s classes are super small too, so I’d only have at maximum ten children, but more likely seven or eight. I’ve worked in their pre-school as well as the primary school for my internships. I’m not really worried about it.”

“What about the parents? Don’t you know what overprotective, overindulging assholes those rich bastards are when it comes to their children?”

“Well, if I can manage hanging out with you guys, I’m sure I’ll be able to manage both the children and the parents.” She knew that they would be difficult, but she was sure she would be a great teacher and be able to form relationships with her student’s parents to ensure their educational success. “Besides, Shinhwa has an excellent benefits package, not to mention the above-average salary. There is no harm in applying.”

“Sure thing,” Woo Bin said, thinking to himself that if any of the parents became a pain to her, he’d be more than happy to pay them a visit and let them know exactly who their little darlings’ kindergarten teacher was associated with. “Go for it, kitten. It’s an excellent opportunity.”

Woo Bin ate dinner with her family and drove her home late at night, telling her that Ji Hoo and Jan Di couldn’t get out of their internships for the evening, but they’d go out as a group and celebrate at his newest nightclub that weekend.

She was exhausted when she finally arrived home at the apartment she shared with Jan Di, and she kicked off her high heels at the door before turning on the light. To her utter shock, the living room was filled with flowers in bright and cheerful arrangements. She picked up the card in the largest one and opened it.

_Congratulations for not allowing anything to get in the way of your dreams and dragging me along on your path. You make me believe that dreams can come true. I love you, my sweet girl. YJ_

She went to her room and got her laptop, checking the time. 11 PM in Seoul, so it would be 3 PM in Stockholm. She placed a FaceTime call to Yi Jung, hoping that he’d be available although it was a bit early in the day for him. To her joy, he logged on quickly.

“Congratulations, Ga Eul-yang,” he greeted her, his smile making her heart beat fast.

“Thank you, Sunbae!” She grinned happily at him. “And thank you for all the flowers, look at my living room!” She turned the computer around to show him the flower shop that had apparently sprung up in her apartment.

“I’m so proud of you sweetheart,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “Are you still planning to apply to Shinhwa?”

“Yes, I know it’s a long shot, but I may as well try. I told Woo Bin-sunbae that I could manage 5-year-old chaebols just fine, it is the ones in their twenties who are difficult.” She shot him a pained look and raised her brows at him making it apparent just who she was referring to.

Yi Jung laughed at her pointed statement. “Listen, regardless of which school you get a job at you’ll have the school holidays right?” He realized he had been thinking long term with Ga Eul for a while now and knew that she was the kind of person who needed to work, to be a contributing member of society. She’d never be the type of woman who could sit at home and do nothing but shop and plan society events and although she’d never need money if they were together, there was no way she’d ever allow herself to be totally dependent on him. Teaching would be the perfect job for her, and it would fit in with his lifestyle quite well. She’d have long multi-week vacation periods in the summer and the winter, so she’d have all that time to give him her undivided attention and he’d be able to drag her off traveling as he pleased.

“Yes, I guess I would,” she hadn’t thought much of it before, she just knew she enjoyed teaching children and was excited to start.

“Well then, you’ll have a few weeks this summer, right? I’d like you to come to visit me in Sweden.”

“Seriously?!” Ga Eul was stunned, he was inviting her to visit his home in Sweden, and not just for a week. “You want me to spend the summer with you in Sweden?”

“Yes, I’d like to show you my life here and I want you to be the first person to see my newest work,” he answered, a sweet sincere smile on his face. “I’ll send you a ticket.”

“Oh no, Sunbae!” she quickly exclaimed. “I can buy my own ticket.”

“Knowing you, you’ll buy a cheap coach ticket on a red-eye flight. Ga Eul-yang, you should know by now, my girlfriend doesn’t fly coach.”

She twisted her lip up at him, ready to berate him for his snobbery when her text indication sounded on her phone.

“You’d better look at that,” he said, his eyes full of annoying humor and she glanced at it quickly. An attachment from Korea Air, he didn’t… She looked back into the screen at him.

“Did you get it, Ga Eul-yang?” He was grinning like a Cheshire cat at her. 

“Sunbae…” She looked back at her phone and opened the text attachment, one first-class ticket to Stockholm, Sweden departing in July.

“It’s your graduation gift, sweetheart,” he told her, his smile turning into that panty-melting you can’t argue with me one that showed off his dimples. “Just come and spend a few weeks with me this summer.”

***

July 2012 – Sweden 

Ga Eul was nervous and excited at the same time, out of habit she ran her thumb over the infinity links on her bracelet to center herself. Yi Jung had invited her to Sweden for the first time. Yep, he had actually invited her to stay with him for a few weeks during the summer vacation before her new job at Shinhwa started to preview his latest work. Work that he was showing in an exhibit in Paris early in the New Year.

She would be the first of his friends to see his newest art creations, he had been very private about it until now and she felt honored to be the first chosen to look. She would have thought that Ji Hoo or Woo Bin would be the ones going to preview his newest collection, but no it was her, Chu Ga Eul, he had chosen.

Their relationship had become serious over the years of separation despite the odds. Somehow the distance had made them closer rather than push them apart. They still had a year or maybe longer to go before he returned to Korea, but it didn’t seem as insurmountable as the first year had. Their relationship had become a real one, they were an actual couple now and she felt more confident with all the ambiguity gone. As well, in the last couple of years, they had been able to see each other in person every six months or so. She wished it were more often, but it couldn’t be helped with them both finishing their degrees and working.

Finally, after nine hours and forty-six minutes, her flight landed in Stockholm, right on time. She felt fluttery with excitement, this was a big deal. She’d be staying with Yi Jung in his house, not at a resort or in a hotel. She had never been to his house, even in Korea. Sure, she visited his studio plenty of times where he kept a room but his official address was the So mansion in the Gangnam-gu district. She envisioned his Swedish home as a small artist’s apartment in the historical district, but really had no idea what it looked like.

As soon as she came through the gates pulling her bag she could see Yi Jung waiting for her in the crowd. He was as impeccably put together and cool as usual, his hair styled down and dark sunglasses hiding his eyes as he waited, appearing to be quite above it all as he ignored the bustle and crowd in the terminal looking as if he had just stepped off the cover of GQ magazine.

“Sunbae!” she called him, and his face snapped to her, and seeing her he smiled, moving to her. She hugged him as soon as he got to her, breathing in his wonderful scent of sandalwood and maleness, and enjoyed the feeling of being held in his arms again.

“How was the flight?” he asked when they broke apart as he reached for the handle of her bag.

“Long,” she admitted. “But it was fine. Thank you for the first-class ticket, Sunbae.”

“Of course,” he said, flashing his charming smile. “Today we’ll just stay home. Tomorrow I want to show you the city and introduce you to some of my friends.”

“Is it far? Your home that is?” she asked, tucking her hand in his free one and he laced their fingers together.

“No, not really.” They arrived in the parking lot at a familiar orange high-end sports car.

“You parked the Lotus just like that? In a public lot?” Ga Eul was surprised.

“Yes, the Lotus is getting old now.” He put her bag in the small trunk before opening the door for her. “It was my seventeenth birthday present after all. We all got one, except for Ji Hoo. He bought himself his motorcycle. Of course, Jun Pyo got two.”

She remembered that Ji Hoo had been on his own for almost his entire life, his upbringing being left to nannies and servants after his parent’s deaths when he was five. His own grandfather just paid the bills and hired the staff, all but abandoning him. It made her feel bad imagining him as a teen boy, buying his own birthday gift while his friends were getting high-end sports cars. It was a miracle that Ji Hoo had turned out to be as good a person as he was, and an even bigger one that he and his grandfather had found a relationship again.

Yi Jung’s apartment was in a historical eight-story low rise literally steps away from Nybroviken Bay in central Stockholm with twin staircases leading up to huge double doors with a doorman at the ready. He drove around the back of the building to enter the underground garage which was painstakingly constructed to look as old and as elegant as the rest of the historical building. To Ga Eul’s delight, there was a huge spiral staircase that wrapped around an antique art-deco elevator, the kind with the ornate metal gates. 

Yi Jung pressed the button for the top floor, watching her face. She was so clearly impressed by the architecture that he didn’t have the heart to tell her that the four-bedroom, five million US dollar apartment was small by his standards. It had its charms, however, retaining many of the original features such as the mahogany herringbone floors, the beautiful art-deco stucco throughout, two stately fireplaces and a chef’s kitchen, two lounges, a formal dining room, a good-sized terrace, and extremely high ceilings. It had a massive walk-in closet, modern bathrooms and the master bedroom was huge with its own fireplace. It was more than ample for him, with excellent views of the bay and the roof ridges of the city from its deep window niches. Best of all it was in a highly desirable location, close to the theatres, museums, and the nightlife of downtown Stockholm.

“You like it?” he asked, giving her a quick tour, ending in his bedroom.

“It’s beautiful,” she answered, leaning out one of the windows. It truly was a beautiful apartment, with tall airy ceilings and lots of historical details, all furnished in light fresh whites and tastefully chosen antiques. “It’s huge, bigger than I thought it would be. And look at your views!”

“It’s been comfortable.” He stood close to her, reaching out and playing with a strand of her hair. “I’m glad I can finally show you it.”

Ga Eul glanced over her shoulder at him, his eyes were warm and he had a small smile, his dimples showing. “Your bed is really large.” Why did she say that? His closeness was making her stomach feel fluttery and she was sure he knew that.

“Ga Eul-yang,” he cooed, dropping his voice lower and huskier. “I’ve missed you.”

“Why is _that_ the first thing you think of when you see me now?” She curled her lip at him slightly, not willing to let him know how he was making her feel. She remembered their last trip to Switzerland when he pushed her down on the bed practically the moment they entered their room and simply took her without so much as a hello, much to her delight. Anticipation started to thrum through her body, her blood quickening and she could feel herself begin to get damp.

“Because you’re my one and only _girlfriend_ , and the _only_ one I think of when thinking about _that_ ,” he whispered, leaning close enough to her ear to stir her hair with his breath. “You’ve ruined me for other women, and it’s been a really, really long time since I’ve last _fucked_ you.”

Right on cue, her lips twisted into that scornful sneer he so loved and she twirled around to face him, her eyes spitting fire. “Sunbae!” she hissed, affronted at his crudeness.

“I love you Ga Eul-yang.” He raised his hands and shot her an innocent smile. “I just want to show you how _very_ much.” 

She huffed and crossed her arms, glaring at him. “Well, maybe after I have a shower. It was a very long flight after all.”

He leaned back into her and kissed her neck, nuzzling up to her ear, and suckled on her lob making her feel tingly inside. 

“You don’t need a shower, Ga Eul-yang,” he whispered in her ear, his voice smooth and seductive. “At least not yet. Let me get you dirty first.”

Ga Eul’s knees felt weak with his kisses and small nips and licks as he coaxed her to sit in the deep window. It had been so long since they’d made love, the last time being in Switzerland, and the one thing that was always lacking when they were so far apart was the touching, the cuddling, the feeling of skin against skin. She sighed, and relaxed allowing him to start pulling her clothing off, and reached out to help him undress as well, pulling his sweater over his head and sweeping her hands over his torso, relishing the flex of his abs under her touch, the hardness of his sinewy muscles. Lower she caressed, running her hands down his body and slipping her fingers into his waistband. 

“How dirty do you want me, Sunbae?” she asked her voice sultry and her lips pouty and he chuckled at how his little innocent had slowly started teasing him. He flicked her nipples and watched as her lips opened in a little gasp and leaned forward to take her mouth with his, sweeping his tongue into her mouth to tease hers. He pulled back and nipped her bottom lip. 

“Oh, I want you to be very dirty, sweetheart,” he told her as he worked his way down her throat, all the while stimulating her nipples with his fingers, pinching and circling them with his fingers. Ga Eul could feel herself becoming wet and her body begin to tighten with anticipation. He was so fucking good with his fingers, with his lips and his tongue, with every fucking touch. She could just let him take control, but she wanted to do this for him, to be the kind of lover he deserved. 

She took her time undoing his pants, slowly lowering his zipper and then to reach into them and feel his hard long cock straining against his boxers, running her fingers up its length playing with it. 

“Like this, Sunbae?” she whispered huskily, and she dropped her head back as he kissed along her jaw and down her throat as he cupped her breasts, sweeping his thumbs over her hard aching nipples through the lace of her bra making her arch slightly.

“Yes, baby… like that…” His voice was breathy and deep and she pushed her hand into his boxers to grip his penis firmly, pushing his pants down his hips. He moved back, allowing her access as she started to stroke him, keeping her grip firm and smooth as she worked him into a rhythm. She leaned forward and dropped a kiss on his abdomen from where she was sitting in the window seat, and Yi Jung leaned forward, bracing his hands on the window above her. “Lower…”

Ga Eul sucked and licked and kissed her way lower, twirling her tongue in his navel, nipping his abs, kissing his lower stomach above his groin, all the while keeping her strokes up with her one hand, while kneading and caressing his tight ass with her other. Going lower she flicked the head of his cock with her tongue tasting his pre-cum and looked up at him. He had his eyes half-closed above her, his face tight and his body rigid and he reached down with one hand and swept her hair up into one fist and pushed her face back down, making it clear what he wanted. 

She gave him a sultry little smile and twirled her tongue around the head of his cock as if he were a lollypop, loving the look of pure male desire on his face. She licked her lips deliberately and watched as the tick in his jaw jumped. “Sweetheart you’re killing me.”

“Oh, you want me dirtier then?” she asked, reaching out and nibbling on the tip of his penis while keeping her eyes on his. 

She was rewarded with a groan from him, and he pushed his hips at her. Ga Eul had only done this a couple of times, but she remembered how he showed her to pleasure him, and she licked his length up the heavy vein that ran underneath to his head and wrapped her tongue around him before taking him fully in her mouth in a sweet suckle. Wrapping a hand around his base she started to move like he enjoyed it, suckling and releasing the pressure as she pumped in tandem with her hand. She knew from the past she couldn’t take his full length in her mouth… yet, but he liked it when she did it this way. 

“Fuck yes baby, that is it,” his voice was husky with need as he started talking dirty to her and she found the control taken from her as he held her head where he wanted with his hand fisted in her hair and started to fuck her mouth. 

“I fucking love when my good girl is dirty,” He growled as he pushed in and out of her mouth, Ga Eul knew he had lost control, that she had done this to him, so she kept her suction constant and suckled him as he pushed himself into her mouth. 

“I love those fucking lips wrapped around me…” He was talking and fucking her mouth and she hummed a little in her throat as he had taught her to make a vibration. “Fuck…”

He thrust a few hard times into her mouth, almost hitting the back of her throat, only her hand wrapped around him stopped him from doing so and came, his semen spurting into the back of her throat and she tried to swallow as much as possible. He pulled out of her mouth and releasing her hair bracing above her. Ga Eul looked up at his face as she wiped her mouth, his eyes were closed in bliss as he took a moment to recover. Finally, his eyes opened, and he looked at her, a wicked sexy little smile coming over his lips.

He dropped to his knees in front of her and took her lips into his, sweeping his tongue in her mouth and tasting his seed. “You are fucking perfect,” he whispered and he worked his way down her body, stripping what remained of her clothing until she was spread out for him on the window seat totally naked to his lips and hands. 

His lips trailed over her stomach, soft against her skin as his fingers found her core and slid up and down it before dipping inside her. She could feel the heat from his breath on her belly as he paused looking up at her. “How dirty should I make you, Ga Eul-yang?”

“Dirty… Sunbae… make me dirty….” Ga Eul gasped out, her body moving with his fingers as her own body started to tighten. He smirked at her before returning to kiss her lower, hovering his lips over her mound, his fingers till working her. She pressed a fist over her mouth to suppress her cries as he kissed right on her hard little nub, making the bundle of nerves swell and the tingling pleasure-pain sensation in her lower belly grow. 

He then licked her clit, lashing it with his tongue and she became wetter if possible soaking his hand. She glanced down to see him gazing up with his hot knowing eyes as he twirled his tongue over her and twisted his fingers to hit the bundle of nerves deep inside her.

Ga Eul closed her eyes, lost in the sensations he was creating in her. She was hot, so very hot. She was sure to combust and she could hear herself begging him for more as she tangled her hands in his hair and thrust her hips into his fingers and mouth. Yi Jung was working her with his lips, his tongue, his fingers making her body dance under his touch and he pressed his thumb on her puckered anus making her tense up for a moment. 

“Shhh, sweetheart, trust me,” he murmured, lifting his head to watch her face as he pushed his thumb deeper. He could feel how tense she had become with his touch there, but he wanted to push her boundaries just a little in that direction. She was wide-eyed and biting down on her lower lip in consternation as she gripped his hair but she relaxed under his touch, so he returned to teasing her clit and he ran his fingers from her wetness to her rear to lubricate her. When he felt her body give over to his touch he slipped his thumb back into her rear entrance and he worked her with his whole hand as he licked and suckled her hard little nub. 

“Sunbae…oh…oh…” she gasped as she came apart, arching into his mouth as she clenched her legs closed with her orgasm. He made her ride it out, keeping his hand and mouth on her as she rippled around his fingers. He pulled his head up to watch her fully, loving the dazed look in her eyes and the little kitten noises she made as he drew her orgasm out with just his fingers. 

“That’s my beautiful girl,” he coaxed her through the waves of feeling, his voice dark and sensual and somehow soothing. “That’s my good girl…”

Finally, he pulled his hand from her and swept her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. Ga Eul felt drowsy and comfortable in his arms, all the stress and excitement of the travel swept away with just his closeness. “Sleepy sweetheart?” he asked, picking her up and taking her to the bed. He knew how trying the flight could be, coming West was always harder than going East.

“A little, but it’s still light out.” Ga Eul didn’t want to sleep, but it was very late for her even though it was just late afternoon in Sweden. 

“If you nap for a bit it will help with the jet lag.” Yi Jung told her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her head again as she snuggled close to him. “Sleep for a while, I’ll wake you for dinner.”

Yi Jung felt deeply satisfied lying in bed with the sunlight fading with his girl tucked up tight against his body. He not only missed sex, he missed her. He missed everything about her, the way she bantered with him, her hesitant way of looking at him when she got nervous, her natural faint scent of jasmine, her plump pink lips, and silky dark hair. Everything. He felt actual happiness to have her cuddled up to him in his bed and he smiled, knowing this time they’d have the whole summer and he intended to enjoy every minute of it.

***

Ga Eul loved visiting Yi Jung in Stockholm, Sweden. She realized that was their first time just the two of them. All their travels before had been in the F4 group, and while they were wonderful, there was something special about being just the two of them. They slept entwined naked in his huge bed, waking up to the sun coming in over Nybroviken Bay. They spent nights making love in front of one of the huge fireplaces or under the stars overlooking the rooftops and city lights. She found that scandalous yet at the same time totally tantalizing when he coaxed her into it, and she had found it extraordinarily stimulating to have sex out in the open air. 

He took her out to a jazz club and romantically played the Saxophone for her, reminding her of their first fake date when he was helping her get back at her sleazy ex-boyfriend. She was sure that was when she started falling in love with him. They ate in quaint little restaurants and toured around the city taking in all the sites. He introduced her to his friends and they were very kind to her, making sure to include her despite her less than skillful English. 

He took her on meandering day trips and even let her try to drive the Lotus on a long empty road, both of them shaking by the end of it and Ga Eul decided she was never ever going to drive a sports car again since she kept slipping the shift on its manual transmissions and for the life of her she couldn’t get the gear shifting and clutching down pat, much to Yi Jung’s fully visible horror. When she told him that, he just laughed and said maybe it would be best if she didn’t learn on the Lotus, but rather he’d take her for real lessons when he got home to Korea… in some other car. 

Yi Jung put off taking her to his work studio for the entire time she was there, finally taking her to see his work on the day before she was to leave, telling her he had saved the best for last and she could see how he was brimming with nervous excitement as he opened up the workshop where he worked with Berte Johansen, all the while reminding her that it wasn’t quite complete yet.

She was amazed and astonished at his newest work of beautifully glazed and elegant pieces. Where the technique he had learned had swirled silver into the glaze, Yi Jung had used gold and the pieces were stunning. She came to one vase, its elegant fluting and gracefully tapered body were perfection, and he had glazed it with such subtle delicate oranges, yellows, and reds with hints of blue and green in the background, the gold softly swirled throughout. It should have been loud with those colors, but it wasn’t. It was muted and exquisitely understated. 

“This is the masterpiece of the collection,” Yi Jung said, a soft smile on his face. “The entire exhibit will be named after it.”

Ga Eul leaned closer at the piece to look at it. It was truly his best work. “You’ve succeeded, Sunbae. You’re better than before. What did you name it?”

His smile grew into a rare soft genuine smile as he answered. “Autumn.”

Ga Eul gasped, looking at him with big eyes. “Autumn?”

“It’s named after you, Ga Eul-yang.” He reached out and cupped her face, running his thumb over her cheek in a small caress, his eyes warm and holding hers. “The whole collection is, sweetheart.”

***

September 2012 – London, UK 

Yi Jung straightened his tie and smoothed down his new bespoke houndstooth jacket as he took his seat in the studio. It would be his first video interview since before he left Korea, and it would mark his re-entry into the world of art. He was well aware of the International attention and scrutiny he’d be under, the returning great art prodigy from the So Family of Korea, the infamous chaebol playboy who disappeared over three years ago after reports of excessive partying and drinking had led to a rumored catastrophic hand injury. 

He had won his first international award at the age of 16, winning the UNESCO award and having his work displayed in the Biennale of Venice that first year. It seemed to suit that his re-entry exhibit would take place in Europe as well. His pieces auctioned into the hundreds of thousands in US funds, a rare few reaching seven digits. His newest creations were even more brilliant, his art maturing and perfecting. His hand was almost one hundred percent healed, not quite and it never would be perfect again, but he had learned to work around it, to compensate for the ever so slight stiffness he occasionally still felt.

Interviews, articles, and press conferences were familiar things to him, and he found himself eager to take up that part of his life again. He had always interviewed well, having a natural charisma and feeling at ease in the spotlight. He had been the face of the family corporation since he was a teen after all. He knew the next few months were going to be a whirl, and he was actually looking forward to it. It would make the time go by quickly.

The pretty blonde British host took her seat opposite him, her eyes sweeping up and down him. He could see how her pupils dilated at her first look at him and the way her pulse picked up. He gave her his charming smile, the one that women found irresistible. This interview was going to be a breeze.

***

September 2012 – Korea

Ga Eul paused at the store cash register when she noticed the magazines. A way too familiar smile on a couple of the covers caught her attention and she picked one up to leaf through it quickly. So Yi Jung was the lead article in the first one, a full-color interview with SEOUL Magazine in his Swedish Apartment showing pictures of the large airy elegant rooms she remembered from when she visited. The other, the American magazine Rolling Stone featured him as the young hip sexy Artist poised to retake the art world by a storm. She hastily grabbed them both and paid for them. He had told her he had some interviews, but she hadn’t realized how serious they were.

She had to admit he looked absolutely gorgeous on the magazine covers. She stuffed the two magazines into her bag, wanting to read them later, but she didn’t have time to leaf through them right away. She was meeting her school friends at her old University cafeteria for lunch to help them prep for a test that she passed last summer and then had dinner with the FC4 later that evening. She’d take her time and read his interviews when she got home and snuggled down in bed alone. When she got to the cafeteria and sat down, her two friends Min Ji and Cho Hee were watching an interview on Cho Hee’s phone. 

“What are you watching?” she asked, glancing over as she settled herself, putting out her books from the last semester. She liked helping them with the material she had already covered when she was accelerating her academic courses to graduate a year early.

“A British interview with So Yi Jung,” Min Ji answered. 

“He’s so hot,” Cho Hee added, glancing up at her. “Hey, have you ever met him? I mean you know Song Woo Bin, right? He’s one of the F4.”

“Yes, I know him,” Ga Eul answered, leafing through her notebook not really paying attention.

“Seriously?!” Min Ji squealed. “You have all the luck, knowing them.”

“It’s through your friend, Geum Jan Di right?” Cho Hee asked. “You said she went to school at Shinhwa.”

“Yes,” Ga Eul answered absently, tapping her pen against her lower lip as she reviewed the work they had been doing in class to see exactly where they were in the course. “She still does, she goes to Shinhwa University.”

“Is So Yi Jung as good looking in person?”

With that, she glanced up and smiled at her two friends. “More.”

“Seriously?!” Min Ji exclaimed. “Can you introduce us?”

“That would be kind of difficult seeing as he’s living in Sweden right now.” Ga Eul said. 

“But he said in the interview he’s planning to return to Korea soon.” Min Ji said dreamily. “Korea’s famous Casanova is returning here. You have to introduce us Ga Eul.”

“It’s not that easy,” Ga Eul said, worried that they would start interrogating her.

“Why not?” Min Ji asked, a small whine in her voice making puppy dog eyes. “You actually know Korea’s hottest bachelors and won’t introduce us.”

“I mean, you haven’t managed to introduce us to Song Woo Bin and Yoon Ji Hoo and they both live in Seoul.” Cho Hee complained. “And we know you go out with your friend Jan Di and them sometimes. I have seen photos on the internet of you with them at a nightclub and in restaurants.”

Ga Eul sighed, this is why she didn’t like admitting she was friends with the F4. “When the right occasion comes up, I’ll make sure to introduce you.”

“The best thing is that So Yi Jung said he’s not dating anyone, so he’s free!” Cho Hee enthused, watching the video on her phone again. 

Ga Eul’s head snapped up. “He said that?”

“Yes, when the interviewer asked him if he was seeing anyone.”

“Let me see,” Ga Eul leaned over to look at her friend’s phone. She watched the segment which was in English and, although her English was becoming much better with her extra classes, she still wasn’t fluent as she’d like to be but she could tell that interview was asking about his love life. He wore that easy grin, his dimples flashing as he answered, saying something about not dating while in Sweden.

Ga Eul felt her heart drop, a wave of insecurity coming over her and she twisted the infinity bracelet on her wrist restlessly. Did he really say he wasn’t dating anyone? If so, what the hell was he doing with her?

***  
Ga Eul entered the F4 lounge and flopped down on the sofa with a huge sigh. Ji Hoo was sitting in the big easy chair reading a book and said a quick hello not bothering to look up and Woo Bin was watching TV and gave her a little wave. Jan Di hadn’t arrived yet, likely she was going to be late again for their dinner date. Ga Eul sighed heavier and started searching through her bag for the magazines she had bought earlier.

“Here it is,” Woo Bin said from his position in front of the TV and she could hear Yi Jung’s voice. She looked up at the TV. Sure enough there he was, Woo Bin watching the interview she had seen earlier on Cho Hee’s phone. He was even better looking on the large screen, all sweet sexy smiles and dimples, his dark eyes captivating. She crossed her arms over her chest at the sight and watched for a moment before shaking her head and leafing through the magazines to read the articles while waiting for Jan Di to show up.

“Yo, kitten, you’re not watching?” Woo Bin asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

“I’ve already seen it,” she answered, she bit her lip to stop the tears from springing up. She realized she was overly sensitive about him saying he wasn’t dating, but still, she couldn’t help either her hurt feelings or the fear it installed in her. This was the problem with having an intimate relationship with a player, she was totally in love and committed, but was he?

She skimmed through the magazines, certain statements catching her attention making it feel worse. He came across as his charming playboy persona, a free-living artist with the world at his feet. There was no indication in either article that he had a girlfriend or was in a relationship at all. She heard from the TV his _I’m not dating anyone_ statement again, and she dropped her head to furiously wipe the tear that had escaped despite her best effort. She hated this feeling of insecurity.

Jan Di blew in like a storm in a flurry of energy. “Sorry, I’m late!”

She sat down in a heap beside Ga Eul and grabbed up one of the magazines. “I swear Yi Jung-sunbae is getting as bad as Jun Pyo with these articles. Hey is that him on the TV?”

“Apparently,” Ga Eul said, trying to keep her voice calm and normal, but it came out a bit bitter sounding and attracted Jan Di’s attention.

“You knew he was doing interviews right? I remember my surprise to see Jun Pyo’s face on the cover of magazines in every store I went into since he never bothered telling me about them. It was as if he was mocking me, with that smug smile of his splashed all over the glossy covers of Forbes or SOEUL.”

“He mentioned them,” Ga Eul admitted sulkily.

Jan Di looked at her sharply, taking in the dispirited look in her eyes. “What’s wrong Ga Eul?”

“Nothing,” Ga Eul glanced at the TV where Yi Jung was still on the TV wrapping up the interview.

“Hah! I don’t believe that!” Jan Di said, giving her that look.

“It’s nothing, really,” Ga Eul said with a soft sigh, deflating internally. “It just bothers me a bit when he says he’s not dating anyone, makes me feel…”

“Like you don’t exist, like you’re being used.” Jan Di finished for her, throwing an arm around her shoulders comforting. 

“Yes,” Ga Eul admitted. “I mean we agreed to keep our relationship secret, but I don’t like the feeling anymore.”

“He didn’t say he wasn’t dating,” Ji Hoo’s calming smooth voice spoke up from behind his book. “He said he wasn’t dating anyone from Sweden.”

“Schematics,” Jan Di said, waving his words away in the air.

“It’s misleading the reporters, at the same time he’s making sure he’s not caught on record lying.” Ji Hoo lowered his book to look at the two girls. He looked right at Ga Eul. “Isn’t it what you do too, just dodge and mislead about your relationship with him? Or have you told your University friends about Yi Jung already?”

“Ga Eul, do you seriously think Yi Jung would be involved with you openly with us? His best friends? If he wasn’t serious? If you were just a fling?” Woo Bin looked over and scowled at her.

“N..no…” She nibbled on her lower lip and glanced between the two of them, she had forgotten they were there. “No, I know that.”

“Then don’t worry about the damn interviews and news articles, kitten.” Woo Bin stated his voice firm and deep, that no-nonsense tone to it. “He knows what he’s doing.”

She smiled at him, feeling better. They were right, she did the exact same thing knowing that for now, they needed to keep their relationship not necessarily a secret, but private for a lot of very legitimate reasons. “You’re right Woo Bin-sunbae. Here you can add these magazine covers to the ones we have pinned up on the dartboard with Jun Pyo–sunbae’s face on them.”

Woo Bin chuckled, a grin on his face. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day. By the way, where are we going for dinner? It was Jan Di’s turn to pick wasn’t it?”

“There is a new restaurant serving gopchang that opened up nearby,” Jan Di said, a mischievous look in her eyes but she kept her face straight.

“Can’t we go for Italian?” Ji Hoo asked, his eyebrows coming together worriedly as he closed his book. Woo Bin made some barfing motions at the thought of eating pig intestines. No matter how many times they dragged them to simple Korean restaurants they still disliked delicacies like pigskin and offal. Jan Di found it funny to bring in such foods as take out or suggest them for dinner.

Jan Di laughed at that. “Fine, we’ll go Italian then.”

Ga Eul pulled out her cell phone and quickly texted Yi Jung.

_Sorry Sunbae_

_??_

_I had negative thoughts, so I’m sorry_

_LOL I have no idea what this is about, so I accept your apology_

_I saw your interview and magazines_

_Did I look good?_

_Always Sunbae LOL_

_Great, that’s all that matters. I’m in class TTYL sweetheart_

_Later Sunbae, and remember – you already accepted_

She snapped her phone closed feeling so much better now, all her doubts flying away. She knew he cared for her, he never missed a Sunday FaceTime date, he texted and talked over the phone to her several times during the week, he always replied to her when she texted or called. She should trust him, he called her his girlfriend and said he loved her. And then there was his promise, he did say he’d come to see her first when he finally came back home and she knew in her heart that was his way of committing to her. Heck, he had even named his entire new upcoming exhibit after her. Did she really need him to declare their relationship to the world? Undoubtedly not. Yi Jung knew what he was doing, and she would trust him. She followed her three friends as they were discussing where to eat as they left the F4 lounge, but her stress had disappeared and she felt so much better than she had earlier in the day.


	8. THREE AND A HALF YEARS

_“In true love the smallest distance is too great, and the greatest distance can be bridged.” Hans Nouwen_

October 2012 – Sweden

Yi Jung had looked down at his phone upon its ring. His father… _again_. He flipped it closed, silencing it. The man had been persistently calling the last couple of weeks, but Yi Jung was just as persistent in not answering his calls. He checked back home with butler Kim, it definitely wasn’t about his mother. Neither was it about his grandfather, who was still in excellent health ruling everything and everyone with his iron fist. He couldn’t imagine that there was anything he actually wanted to _talk_ to his father about. God knows the man had never reached out to him before during the past three-plus years he’d been in Sweden.

His text notification went off, and he picked up his phone to check it. His father again, finally resorting to texting he thought with a snort of derision. Well, to be honest, it was his preferred way of contact with the man. Curious he opened the text and waited as what was apparently a picture loaded onto his screen. It was a picture taken of a multitude of photos fanned and spread out all over a dark oak desktop. He could see that they were all of Chu Ga Eul, some alone and some with him. 

His father then zoomed in on certain ones, sending additional pictures of the photos. Picture after picture loaded onto his phone. There was a long-distance one from New Caledonia, that very first trip where they were walking up the hill with Ga Eul taking her tacky selfies. He could see the distance between them then, but it was still obvious they were together. Then there was one of them at the skating rink when they were on their second fake date, she was looking up at the fireworks with an expression of joy and wonder on her face and he was… looking at her with all his hidden feelings for her all over his face. There were pictures of them in his Lotus, at Jun Pyo’s birthday with him dragging her by the hand behind him, that was when they were leaving, he remembered. At Jun Pyo’s almost wedding, long telescopic shots of them when they got to the villa, him helping her out of his Lotus and another of them standing in the field of yellow flowers. 

So many of them together, playing on the Namsan stairs on that date she took him on just before he left Korea, in New York City walking hand and hand on the street and a very candid shot of them from behind at the New Year’s Eve party his hand on the small of her back and their faces turned towards each other talking and smiling. There were pictures at the airport in Dubai with the rest of F4 and Jan Di saying goodbye, in Switzerland kissing on the slopes and buying chocolates in a quaint little shop. Even recently in Sweden with both of them hugging at the airport, walking the streets with her tucked against his side, and at a café sitting across from each other holding hands as they talked. He ran his hand over his eyes.

 _There are more_. Another cryptic text from his father before another group of photos was uploaded to his phone.

This time there was a file folder open with the photos fanned out. All of them were of Ga Eul alone. Through the window of the porridge shop, at university laughing with a couple of girlfriends, with Woo Bin and Ji Hoo sitting in a restaurant, in the primary yard of Shinhwa nursery surrounded by little children while she was doing her internship, her face glowing with joy, on and on they went.

 _Do you want to talk to me now?_ Hell yes, he did. Yi Jung picked up the phone and dialed the number he never thought he would.

“Yi Jung, how nice of you to finally call your father back,” So Hyun Sub’s smooth suave voice answered, just the sound of it putting Yi Jung on edge.

“Where… no _why_ do you have all those photos of Chu Ga Eul?” he asked, not bothering with small talk.

“What, no greeting? No how are you Appa?” His father’s voice was smug and superior making him grit his teeth. “Ah, well no matter, at least now I know how to get my son to call me back.”

“The photos,” Yi Jung gritted out.

“Oh those, they aren’t mine. I didn’t take them.” 

Yi Jung’s blood ran cold, there could only be one explanation but he didn’t want it to be true. “Where did you see them then?”

“Well you see, I was visiting my father’s office the other day and the old man was delayed in some meeting. I was poking around the files on his desk and imagine my surprise to find one full of pictures of you and your… _girlfriend_ , that is what she is to you, right? I’m not quite sure, since I know you’re not the kind of man to be faithful to a single woman. But then, I’ve never seen you with the same girl so many times and over so many years. You’ve always been just like me, after all.”

“She is my girlfriend.” Yi Jung bit out. “I’ve been seeing her and only her since we started dating. Apparently, I’m not as alike you as you think.”

“Really? Incredible. It looks as if you have been dating for _years_ , and yet you were so generous in the past with her, offering her to your Appa as a gift.” There was dark amusement in his father’s voice now and Yi Jung saw red. “She _is_ the same girl, right? I never forget a pretty face, especially such a sweet innocent one. Hardly your usual taste in women, Yi Jung.”

“That was…” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I would like you to forget that. It was a mistake on my part.”

“Very well, I am a gentleman after all. Regardless I thought you should know that your grandfather has your… _love affair_ … under his surveillance.” Hyun Sub’s voice lost all the smugness and sounded strangely sincere to Yi Jung. “I expect you will realize what you need to do now.”

“Yes, I need to win.” He had been planning for just this event, however, he had thought it would occur once he had returned to Korea not while he was still in Sweden. He was ready, however. All his pieces were in place.

Hyun Sub laughed. “Well that is a surprise response, but then I didn’t expect you to give her up without a fight. I’ll help you, Yi Jung.”

“Why would you help me?” 

“Do I need a reason to help my son?” 

“I don’t trust you,” Yi Jung reluctantly admitted. Could his father be an additional game piece to play against his grandfather?

“Well, I can’t say I blame you. I’ve not been much of a father to either Il Hyun or yourself. But you are my son and I hate to admit it you are much stronger than I was at your age.” There was an edge of regret in his voice. “I once told you that the real thing only comes once. I was forced to give up mine, I’d like to help you to avoid the same fate, Yi Jung.”

“Goad him into making his move. Get him to confront me about her,” he said, deciding to take his father’s offer at face value. “I’d rather end this farce earlier than later.”

***

Yi Jung hung up from his video conference with the F4. Everything was in place now. Jun Pyo confirmed that Ga Eul’s father’s job couldn’t be targeted like it had been when Madame Gu went after Jan Di, and he owned the condo where the girls lived, a condo in a building that belonged to one of the Song subsidiaries so they couldn’t be evicted out into the street. Ji Hoo was going to ensure, with an extremely generous donation to the primary education department of Shinhwa Elementary, that her job couldn’t be messed with. Woo Bin had bought out her parent’s mortgage, so their home was safe. The F4 had learned from Jun Pyo and Jan Di’s experiences and ensured that Ga Eul and her family were well protected.

Woo Bin and he went over their mutual finances, ensuring that his personal wealth and investments were in the clear and unencumbered. The condo project they started three years ago together was nearing completion and was sold out turning over a very generous profit for both of them, and their mutual company So-Song Corporation was getting international acclaim for their innovative luxury design that blended opulence with global sustainability. That of course had led to more projects, their collaboration of his artistic vision and insistence on it being an eco-building, and Woo Bin’s practical experience and real estate credentials proving to be a winning combination. All in all, he was ready. 

He bridged his hands under his chin in thought. He was anticipating this battle far more than he had expected. He would never underestimate the old Independence fighter, that iron-will that his grandfather possessed, but he was positive that the old man would underestimate him. Now he just had to wait for his grandfather to make his move.

***

November 2012 – Korea

Ga Eul took a deep breath of the crisp fall air as she left her building to go to her teaching job at Shinhwa Elementary School. She liked going extra early, giving her plenty of time to pick up a coffee on the way and settle herself in her classroom to go over her lesson plans for the day. She was surprised to see a big black SUV parked outside, just out of sight of the doors, black suited men standing beside it. They reminded her of the security detail that always followed Jae Kyung-unnie or dragged away Jun Pyo on occasion. She went to skirt around them when they saw her, stopping her.

“Miss, please get in the car,” one of the men said taking her by the arm. Ga Eul pulled away, stepping away and ripping her arm out of his hand.

“No, I don’t think so.” She looked around, noticing that this early in the morning there was little to no traffic around.

“There is no choice, Miss,” he said with a crocodile smile on his face not reaching his cold eyes. “Don’t make a fuss and get in the car.”

If Ga Eul learned anything in her life it was to not get into cars with strange men, so she quickly moved to dodge around them and back into the safety of her building. She found herself grabbed and pushed into the car, men getting in on either side of her and the car took off.

“What are you doing?” She yelled, her voice tight with panic. “This is kidnapping! Stop this car right now and let me go!”

“Sorry Miss, the Chairman wants to see you.”

“Who? I have nothing to do with any chairman! I have to go to school, you have the wrong person!”

“You are Chu Ga Eul, correct?” The man who had been speaking looked like he was made of granite to her making her heart drop. They knew her name, this was something personal and not a random kidnapping. She twisted the infinity bracelet around her wrist worrying it, trying to make sense of what was happening. It made her feel like she wasn't alone, like Yi Jung was close and helped calm her ever so slightly. Then she remembered that silly app she put on Yi Jang’s and her phones so many years ago.

She hunched over, acting panicked and hyperventilating, which really wasn’t a stretch since she was actually both, and reached in her bag and slowly pulled out her phone. Bent over her lap, curtaining what she was doing with her hair which she had thankfully left out she quietly opened her phone and quickly pressed the app. _Please, Yi Jung, I’m scared_ , she thought, feeling herself sob. He could call the police from Sweden, right? And the phone was now effectively a GPS connected to his. She slipped it into the pocket of her bright yellow coat and looked up to take in where they were going.

***

November 2012 – Sweden

It was late at night and Yi Jung had just gotten home from a night out with his friends. He had left them at the nightclub after a few drinks. How strange that he rarely stayed out all night anymore. It was as if he had outgrown his need to party all night, although he did still enjoy going out and having a good time now and then. He was just about to take a quick shower when his phone went off with that old SoS app that Ga Eul had stuck on it ages ago. He wondered why it would go off now, she’d never used it since he’d left Korea. He had been thinking of replacing his phone with a new iPhone but had held onto it for sentimental reasons, these old phones were what tied them together from the first and it seemed only fitting that they should last until he went home for good. Then he’d replace them both. 

The SoS sound was annoying and he flipped his phone open to turn it off, but something about the GPS map caught his attention. She was moving, but why was she moving in the Gangnam-gu district? That was where the top 1% lived, their stately mansions spread out on huge park-like estates. There was no reason for Ga Eul to be there.

Fuck, he wouldn’t, would he? A sudden realization came over him. Here was the first move. He should have expected it, the ‘meeting’ had been used against Jan Di effectively a couple of times. Hell, what times was it in Korea right now? 6 AM? 7 AM? He quickly called Woo Bin. Would he even be awake so early in the morning? 

“Yo, do you know what time it is here?” A very grumpy sleepy Woo Bin answered him on his third call. 

“I think the old man has summoned Ga Eul,” he said, urgency in his voice. “You need to pick her up, you know how intimidating he can be. How he’ll scare her and she might feel forced to bolt.”

“What, how do you know bro?” Woo Bin rolled to look at his clock. “For fuck’s sake it’s barely past 7 AM. Are you losing your mind?”

Yi Jung took a quick look at the GPS after putting the phone on speaker, sure enough, it had stopped right at the So Estate. “No, she has this stupid SoS app on our phones, and it’s going off. Her GPS shows she’s at the mansion.”

“And here I thought Jun Pyo was bad, but you man, you have your girlfriend tagged with a GPS. Outstanding.” Woo Bin drawled, but he was already in motion, pulling on the clothing he had left crumpled on the floor when he got in at 3 AM. “Don’t worry, I’ll go retrieve your girl.”

“Shit!” 

“What?”

“She’s moving!” Yi Jung watched with disbelief that dot that was Ga Eul moving not into the mansion but away from it. Was she fucking running from the security on his estate? If it weren’t so serious a matter he’d find it funny. What if she got hurt? “She’s running towards the Kung estate. What the hell is going on, what is she doing? What is the old man thinking?”

“Dammit,” Woo Bin said, his tone full of disgust. “It’s too damn early for this kind of shit. I’ll go get her, just keep tracking her and keep me on speaker so I know where I’m going.”

***

November 2012 – Korea

The sleek black SUV pulled past large black metal gates and up a huge circular drive to come to a stop in front of the most massive mansion that Ga Eul had ever seen. There was no way she intended on entering it, after all in every horror movie she had ever watched, going in meant you never came out. Throughout the drive the worst thoughts had overtaken her, was she going to be sold into white slavery or murdered? Was torture on the agenda? 

As the guards exited the car she carefully slipped her shoes off, she was short so she usually wore heels. Sensible heels, but heels none the less and it would be impossible to outrun the men who had kidnapped her in heels. She pretended to be compliant when they opened the door but hesitated to look at the impressive front door

“This way, Miss Chu,” the guard she dubbed ‘the talker’ indicated the steps up to the entrance.

They were keeping a respectful distance from her she noticed, not man-handling her the way they had to get her into the car. She supposed they thought that having gotten her here all her fight was gone. Well, they were in for a surprise. She quickly scanned the area. It was a large estate and she could see the walls off in the distance through foliage and trees. She had seen a roof through the treetops as they drove in and had made up her mind. That was another house, a place with other people. Safety.

She then bolted, flying out of the car and past the stunned guards towards the forested area of the estate. She could hear them yelling at her from behind and hear their heavy footsteps and it just made her run faster, her breath coming in short pants. She could feel one right behind her and the tug on her bag where he grabbed it, so she just let it go and darted away and into the bush leaving it and him behind.

Zigzagging and crawling under bushes, she pulled her phone out of her coat pocket and abandoned it, afraid the bright yellow color would be too easy to see. Luckily she wasn’t wearing bright clothing under it today, opting for a simple black skirt and sweater with a blouse.

Finally, she made it to the low wall that divided the estate with the one next to it and jumping and scrambling she somehow made it over, scraping her knees and dropped to the ground, her sides heaving and out of breath. She could still hear the men yelling and running around on the other side of the wall, so she stilled her breathing as much as possible.

When she was sure they were moving away from the wall she was huddled against, she gingerly crawled towards the house she had seen from the car. Finally, after what seemed like forever she felt safe enough to stand up and darted to the front door of the mansion in front of her.

Shaking with fear and adrenaline she knocked on the door and waited nervously, twisting her fingers around her phone as she glanced back over her shoulder, afraid that the men chasing her would arrive.  
After what seemed like hours, the door finally opened revealing a very distinguished gentleman.

“May I help you?” he asked, looking her over, a slight look of disdain in his eyes. “Who are you?”

“Please, help me! There are men chasing me!” She cried out, starting to panic again. “Please, I’ve been kidnapped!”

The man looked over her shoulder and back at the disheveled and frightened girl before he sighed and allowed her in. There were maids standing in the large opulent foray staring at her intrusion as he led her in. “You may sit in the kitchen until I can arrange for a ride.”

“Butler Lee, what about the Master?” One of the maids whispered dramatically.

“I am sure that we will not let this disturb Master Kung,“ he stated as he led Ga Eul through the house toward the back.

“Please, call the police.” Ga Eul asked, still shaking.

“Oh no, that won’t do,” Butler Lee said. “The master would be disturbed and put out, young lady. Let’s calm you down and call for a car and we’ll send you home.”

Ga Eul found herself left in a palatial kitchen, a cup of warm soothing tea pushed into her hands. The cook asked her some questions which she couldn’t remember answering, the butler hovered rather like a guard to make sure she didn’t wander off. Suddenly, one of the maids came flying into the kitchen.

“Someone is here for the miss,” she exclaimed excitedly.

“That was fast,” Butler Lee mused. “I just ordered the car.”

“It’s the young master Song!” the maid cried, and sure enough walking in behind her was Song Woo Bin, his hair a bit messy and his shirt slightly wrinkled, obviously hastily dressed. His eyes widened at the sight of her, her torn stockings and bleeding knees, her hair stringy and filled with leaves, and her eyes red from holding back tears.

“Woo Bin-sunbae!” Ga Eul flew at him, launching herself into his chest. She started crying with relief, her story coming out in sobs.

“It’s okay now, kitten.” He put his arm around her as he led her to his car. “Thank you, Lee. If Kang has any issues he’s welcome to call me.”

Woo Bin was gentle as he buckled her in before getting in beside her. “Where are your shoes?”

“I left them. I couldn’t run in heels,” she answered, feeling much calmer now that she was safe and with Woo Bin who was comforting and familiar. “My bag and coat too. How did you know where I was?”

“Your boyfriend,” he said, and he ruffled her hair soothingly. “You have some sort of app on your phones.”

“It worked.” She was still holding her phone in a death grip and looked down at it, turning the app off.

“We’ll call him in a bit,” Woo Bin said, placing his hand over hers to still their trembling. He pulled up to the ornate black gates that she had been brought through previously. “I’ve already told him I’ve got you. We’ll just get your stuff and I’ll take you home and you can call him from there.”

“Where is this place?” She asked, a tremor in her voice.

He shot her a look she couldn’t quite place. “It’s the So Estate. Apparently, Yi Jung’s grandfather wanted to meet you. We, of course, disapprove and won’t allow that. Yi Jung will introduce you when he returns to Korea so the old man will just have to wait.”

He could see her slight shudder. “Don’t worry, Yi Jung is planning on having a heart to heart with the old man. This won’t happen again.”

“Okay, Woo Bin-sunbae.” She took a deep steadying breath and leaned back in the seat, gripping her phone so hard her knuckles were white. “But I’m not getting out of the car.”

“Don’t worry, kitten. You won’t have to.”  
***  
November 2012 – Sweden

As soon as he got off the phone with Ga Eul and Woo Bin, Yi Jung had to take some time to calm down. He was furious with his grandfather. He had mistakenly predicted that the first volley would be directed at himself, not his Ga Eul. He had expected the old man to call him on the carpet about dating someone who was clearly not from the correct socio-economic class, perhaps even try to arrange a marriage-merger. He didn’t expect him to go right for the ‘meeting’ threat immediately.

Before he had even been approached and questioned about her, his grandfather had somehow discerned he was sincere about Chu Ga Eul and determined that she was a threat. Usually, he, as the So heir should have been warned to keep his commoner girlfriend as a dirty little secret, a plaything or toy and not to get too attached. You were allowed to have mistresses and lovers, you just weren’t allowed to become serious about them. You were only allowed to openly date or marry someone of the right background who would provide _value_ to the family.

The regular order of things would have been for So Yoon Hee to tell him not to take things too far with Ga Eul, to warn him of the possible consequences. If he was resistant, which he would be of course, then the ‘meeting’ with his girlfriend would be arranged, using intimidation to outline to her exactly how she would never fit in their elite world, along with a very generous offer of money of course.

The next step if both of them remained stubborn would be to either try to force him into an arranged marriage or threatening him with disinheritance, outlining exactly what was at stake for him and how much he stood to lose. He should have been told that he’d lose his position in the family, his future with the museum. That he would be no longer have access to the many properties owned by the So Family and his credit and cash flow would be cut off.

She would be called into another ‘meeting’ and threatened again, this time on anything which could be a weakness, her home, her job, her family, even her friends would have been jeopardized. The real dirty work would be to make it all happen, which was relatively easy to arrange with the kind of money and power the chaebol families possessed.

Yi Jung had planned to stop it at stage one, to make sure that when Chairman So confronted him with threats that he outlined just how independent he was now and respond with a few threats of his own to avoid the rest of the script. So Yoon Hee, however, decided to play dirty and jumped the sequence of events. He shouldn’t have been surprised, the old man was a former Independence fighter and known to be ruthless. He should have anticipated this move.

What they both failed to expect was that one little Miss Chu Ga Eul would make a run for it instead of going to the ‘meeting’, turning the whole event into something out of a B-grade action movie. Honestly, she had been so riled up after she finally recovered from the stress and fear of being ‘kidnapped’ she had been ready to call the police to press charges. Charges which Yi Jung knew would go absolutely nowhere and cause more hardship. Luckily he had been able to talk her down, saying it was a family matter that he would take care of, reassuring her that they wouldn’t be a repeat of the Jun Pyo and Jan Di show, that he had this under control.

Once calm and refocused, he called his grandfather. As expected he got his secretary, who said he’d let the chairman know he was requesting an online meeting. He didn’t expect the old man to get back to him quickly, making him wait would be part of the game. So Yoon Hee would have been expecting his call after the disastrous meeting attempt with Chu Ga Eul. 

He would have known that Yi Jung was going to be deadly serious about this matter, especially after he sent Song Woo Bin to pick Ga Eul up and go right into the So Estate to not only collect her belongings but more importantly to have a quick word with the head of the So security team about the state in which he had collected So Yi Jung’s _much-treasured_ girlfriend in and how _very unhappy_ the young So master currently was. He was sure that after Woo Bin’s _particular_ way with words that any further invites from Chairman So would be just that and she wouldn’t be manhandled into a black SUV again anytime soon. He now figured that it would take anywhere from 48 to 72 hours for his grandfather to get back to him. 

Sure enough in precisely 72 hours, he got a return call inviting him to log on for a Skype conference with Chairman So. Finally, it was game time.

“Yi Jung.” Soo Yoon Hee’s granite-like face appeared on Yi Jung’s laptop screen, his face was lined with age and living, but his eyes were as sharp as ever, the icy black that Yi Jung’s got when he was angry or affronted.

“Halaboeji.” He kept his face as equally as impassive as his grandfather’s, he’d learned this expression at the old man’s knees after all. “I’m sure you know why I requested this meeting.”

“Indeed, although I hardly thought it important enough to merit any discussion,” he responded a barely discernable sneer on his lips.

“It is to me, halaboeji.” Yi Jung responded.

“Well, it was something that I was going to bring up eventually, Yi Jung. This girl… this common plain nothing of a girl has been seen with you for a lengthy time now. People are beginning to talk about the So heir. I have collected pictures of your relationship with her for _years_ now.” The old man’s eyes were steely and his voice unyielding.

“Yes, halaboeji, I have had a relationship for years with her. It has nothing to do with you.”

“You will be returning to Korea shortly Yi Jung. I strongly recommend that you sever the relationship before you return.” 

“I have no intentions of doing so, halaboeji.” Yi Jung could feel a tick in his jaw start.

“It’s time for you to consider your position, grandson.” His Grandfather tapped the desk in front of him impatiently. “I have allowed you these many years of freedom to sow your wild oats. This freedom to live abroad in Europe as you requested. When you come home it is time for you to begin to take over your responsibilities and get married. I have begun negotiations with the Kim family. They have a daughter about your age.”

There it was, the marriage of convenience threat he had been expecting.

“I have considered my position at great length. I am more than ready to take on any responsibilities that I deem fit when I return in regards to the museum and the family business. However, I have no plans for an arranged marriage.”

“Well, we can discuss that at length later. Right now I want assurances that this… affair will be over by the time you return home. If not I will begin the process to remove you from the line of inheritance and my will.

“Let me outline to you what will happen when I return home, halaboeji.” Yi Jung decided it was time to make his move. “I will not be returning to the mansion, I have already acquired my own properties to live in. I will continue to see Chu Ga Eul and you will be polite and accept her as my girlfriend. If I decide to marry it will be to whom I pick, you will have no say in the matter.”

He could see the icy rage build in his grandfather’s eyes even through the monitor. “You will do no such thing So Yi Jung. If you defy me on this, I will ensure that you will never manage the museum, I will cut your access to all funding.”

“I don’t need your money,” Yi Jung stated calmly, watching his grandfather through the screen. “I have no need for the So fortune, I am quite independently wealthy now. I have invested aggressively and grown my own assets exponentially since coming of age. Let’s face it, you haven’t quite recovered from the 2008 financial crisis, whereas I have made prudent investments. Besides, I’m the public face of the company. It’s the other way around halaboeji. You need me.”

The old man looked at him with angry shock for a moment. “I need you? How dare you! How dare you insinuate that the So Family needs you!! I will cut you off!”

“It would be a shame for you to throw away the 24 years of investment you made in me over a girl, wouldn’t it?” Yi Jung could feel the win in reach and he went for the jugular. “Without me, you have no heir left. You’ve already tossed aside my brother and father. Who will you pick next? Cousin Dong Hyun or his son, Hyun Woo? I will take my art elsewhere, there are many museums worldwide that will not hesitate to have an exhibit by So Yi Jung displayed, as well as auctioned. Never again will one of my exhibits be shown at the Song Woo Museum, losing you a valuable revenue source as well as media attention. After all, we both know that I am the main media draw for the museum.”

“I won’t stand for this, Yi Jung,” So Yoon Hee growled out.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice,” Yi Jung told him. “Additionally you will stay away from Chu Ga Eul entirely. You will not have her followed or under surveillance, you will not release any disagreeable rumors to the media, you will not contact her again without my explicit permission. If you do, I will leave.”

“That disgustingly common girl will never be accepted in our society.” 

Yi Jung could see the beginnings of capitulation in his grandfather’s eyes. “We’ll see about that. As you well know she’s Gu Jun Pyo’s girlfriend’s best friend, and I know Jun Pyo intends to marry his girlfriend. As you can see, things are changing, even in the world of chaebols.”

“Kang Hee Soe would never stand for that.” There was the smallest almost indecipherable note of nervous disbelief in his grandfather’s voice. “Regardless, do you think any base common girl will ever be accepted by society or the media? Never.”

“Oh but Madame Gu has already played her cards and lost. As you well know Gu Jun Hee is now the chairman and Gu Jun Pyo the president of Shinhwa Group. As for my _girlfriend_ , we will see how acceptable she is.” Yi Jung gave his grandfather a merciless smile, his eyes remaining hard and icy. “Regardless, it has nothing to do with you. As I said, you can’t make me do anything. If you try, I will walk.”

“Unbelievable! I refuse to accept this!” Yi Jung could hear something in his grandfather’s voice, under the bluster was the slightest of quavers and went in for the kill.

“I don’t think you fully understand. It is not something you can choose to accept or deny. I am the one with the power here. I am the one who will decide to carry on the So syndicate or not. I am the one who will decide if I take over the museum from you or not. I am the one who will choose when and where my art is displayed and auctioned from. I am the one who will decide who I will date and eventually marry, not you. The game is over, halaboeji.”

***

On the other side of the world, in the glittering offices of the Woo Song museum, the old warrior disconnected from the call, fury washing through him, but it was tinged with grudging respect. His grandson had grown up it seemed and was as much of a man as he, So Yoon Hee had been at that age when he was fighting for South Korean independence. He was proving to be a worthy opponent however he was sure that there were still pieces to be played in this game with the boy. It was far from game over.


	9. FOUR YEARS

_“I believe in the immeasurable power of love, that true love can endure any circumstance and reach across any distance.” Steve Maraboli_

January 2013 – Somewhere between Sweden and Korea

Yi Jung had decided to go at the eleventh hour, barely packing a bag and grabbing a last-minute flight to Seoul for his brother’s wedding. It would be his first time home in almost four years and he had initially intended to just skip the whole event. He hadn’t even bothered to text or phone his friends or Ga Eul, much less bother to inform his family. He was going to attend the wedding and return quickly to Europe in a little over 24 hours. He had a meeting in Paris that he couldn’t miss on Monday, so he had no choice.

He didn’t have time to stay any longer than one night, what with his first exhibit since his accident coming up very quickly in France. Besides, he thought it best to surprise everyone with his sudden appearance, particularly his grandfather especially after the throw down conversation they had recently had outlining their respective positions. He knew he had won, but there was no time to waste putting the final nail in the subject and closing it once and for all. The wedding provided the perfect opportunity to do so.

His mother had apparently pulled herself together long enough to stage a society wedding for her firstborn son, going all out. It was going to be a star-studded extravaganza showing off the immense wealth and social power of the So Family. He almost felt sorry for the happy couple, but it was a rare stretch of time when his mother sounded cheerful and lucid, and he did love his mother and wished she was always lucid and contented. Besides, it felt wrong to skip the wedding of his brother to his first love, it would petty and small to do so. He was a much better man than that now, wasn’t he? He truly did want to wish them well. They were both very important people in his life. People he genuinely loved. Besides, coming home would make his mother happy, and keeping her happy for this wedding so she wouldn’t ruin it was necessary.

He decided it was high time to finally take Ga Eul to a society event as his date. Yi Jung felt strangely nervous about it, his mind racing so much prior to the ten-hour flight home that he was forced to take a sleep aid so he would be fresh and ready for the wedding when he got there. What he did know was that he wanted Ga Eul by his side as he faced not only his family but the top one percent of the wealthiest families in Korea. After his showdown with So Yoon He, it would be an excellent time to introduce her to society as his significant other and remove any possible further threat to her. Besides, Ga Eul knew Eun Jae, she was her beloved pottery teacher, so it wouldn’t be as uncomfortable for her as far as introducing her to his world might otherwise be. 

Ga Eul had been the one to help him find the closure he needed, the one to save him from his self. Without her there would be no new works of art created by him, his hand would still be a useless mess and he likely would be killing himself slowly by drinking and partying in a fit of self-pity. She deserved to be acknowledged as the most important woman in his life, he could tell that sometimes keeping their relationship quiet and secret made her feel insecure. Ga Eul was his lover, not his mistress and she should know exactly how much value he placed on her.

He couldn’t wait to surprise Ga Eul. He hadn’t seen her since her visit to Sweden over six months ago. He had been ready to fly straight back to Korea if needed after his _discussion_ with his grandfather, but she had claimed she was fine, and he wanted to finish his work in Sweden and actually go home for good, and just planned on pushing through this final year abroad. 

He called ahead while waiting for his flight and made arrangements knowing he wouldn’t have the time once he landed. His assistant would make sure everything was in place upon his arrival. Everything from having one of his cars tuned up and waiting for his use, one of his bespoke tuxedos freshly pressed, and a suite at the exclusive Lotte Hotel where the reception was taking place as he didn’t want to waste the little time he had traveling to and from his studio. Finally, he made a call to his favorite stylist for one Chu Ga Eul, outlining exactly what he wanted in very specific terms.

He was pleased the stylist jumped into action quickly, sending him pictures of suitable dresses for him to choose from and shoes and accessories to go with each. He had contacted Tiffany’s in New York earlier that morning when he had suddenly decided to go to the wedding to rush him a piece he had admired while he had been purchasing a watch earlier that year from their collection and he wanted the exact right dress to highlight it. It would be there when he arrived or shortly thereafter. 

The stylist would be at the hotel when he arrived ready to get his Ga Eul ready for what would be her first foray on his arm into the world of the Korean elite to which he belonged. The right impression had to be made this first time, she had to look perfect. He knew it was going to trigger another battle with Chairman So Yoon Hee. One that he was determined to win.

***

He could see her through the glass doors to her classroom. She was surrounded by little people and totally engaged with them while working on some crafting project with clay. She was so beautiful, her eyes bright and that amazing smile that she always had on her face as she encouraged her students. The classroom was bright and cheery with her personal touch everywhere in it, and everything was neat and tidy and inviting to children. He remembered being in this very same kindergarten room when he first went to Shinhwa. It was where he had first met Jun Pyo, Woo Bin, and Ji Hoo. A twisting sense of nostalgia rose up in him. 

She had no idea he was there, so he paused in the doorway to just watch her for a few moments without announcing himself. She had a pink frilly apron protecting her clothing from her small charges and her hair was pulled back from her face to flow down her back. 

After a time he spoke, “You’re still putting too much pressure in your hands.”

She glanced over in shock, coming to her feet. “Yi Jung-sunbae…”

“Hi,” he smiled at her, enjoying her surprise.

“Who is he?” one of the little boys asked, a cheeky grin on his little face. “Is he teacher’s boyfriend?”

One of the tiny girls asked if he just came from Sweden, making him laugh. The little girl continued, “Our teacher said her boyfriend was there.” 

A very flustered Ga Eul cupped her hand quickly over the little girl’s mouth, whispering loudly “You can’t tell him that!” She looked at him, a bright blush on her cheeks and their eyes met before she ducked her head shyly, making him smile wider. Obviously, Chu Ga Eul had been talking about him to her pupils despite his warnings not to talk about their relationship to _anyone_ until he got home for good. Well, he had to admit that five-year-olds were hardly who he had in mind when he had told her that.

“When did you get here, Sunbae?” she asked, trying to brush away her adorable awkwardness.

“I landed less than an hour ago, I came here straight from the airport.”

“Oh!” she exclaimed, looking at him with surprise. “I thought you’d go home first.”

“What did I promise you almost four years ago, Ga Eul-yang?” He raised his brow at her expectantly. He was enjoying this way too much.

“That I would be the first person you’d see when you came back to Korea,” she answered, understanding dawning in her eyes. “Are you home for good then? You didn’t call or text to tell me? Does anyone know you’re home yet?”

“Only you sweetheart, I’m just here for the one night though, sorry to disappoint.”

“You decided to go to the wedding after all?” 

“Yes,” he answered. “We’ll have fun at it.” 

“We? You want me to go to your brother’s wedding with you?” Again he had shocked her and she was looking at him wide-eyed and unsure.

“Of course, Ga Eul-yang. Who else would I go with?” 

A few seconds went by, her attention grabbed by her young charges, but he could tell she had more to questions by the way she kept glancing at him. Finally she faced him again. “What should I wear?”

“I have that covered, you won’t even need an overnight bag,” he shot her a sinfully sexy little grin.

“Sunbae!” she exclaimed, a deep blush covering her cheeks and she glanced nervously down at the oblivious children.

“Your day is almost over right?” He asked, already knowing the answer. “I’ll wait for you outside. We don’t have much time until the wedding.”

***

She was literally stunning, Yi Jung thought with pride later that evening. The dress he’d chosen for her was deceptively simple, just a floor-length black silk Dior sheath that hugged her curves, but when she walked the deep slip up the front revealed the pink silk lining and her long legs. Her hair was swept up to expose her delicate neck and a platinum and pink diamond necklace completed the outfit, its cluster of tiny pink diamonds settling just below the hollow of her throat and matching pink diamond drops in her ears. She had no idea that she was wearing a hundred and forty thousand US dollar necklace around her neck and likely would have refused to wear it if she did. She just assumed it was a lovely, yet inexpensive cubic zircon piece, which he was more than happy to let her think. Everyone else in his social class would recognize the piece of ‘high jewelry’ from Tiffany’s exclusive collection for the super-rich. It was his statement on how much she actually meant to him without saying any words.

“Good enough?” Gau Eul looked at him apprehensively, holding her small pink satin clutch in front of her as if it was a shield. It reminded him of the time he had dressed her up for their first fake date, she was a mixture of shy uncertainty and unknowing sensuality. 

He nodded and grinned at her, giving her the thumbs up that echoed that very first time as well, making them both smile at the memory of it.

“You once told me that when going into battle, you need armor. Are we going into battle, Sunbae?”

“What do you think?” He gave her his melting smile, watching as a slight flush rose on her cheeks. “Nervous?”

“Yes, of course.” She ran a hand down her hip, smoothing the dress.

“Don’t be. I’ve never lost a fight.” He ran his hands up her arms and teased her shoulders with a feather-light touch. Really, he couldn’t wait for the end of the night, when he could bring her back up to their suite and strip that very expensive, very lovely, very…erotic dress off of her and show her exactly how much. “I’ve missed you, beautiful.”

“I’ve missed you too.” Her eyes were big and innocent, not at all suspecting the wicked thoughts going through his head. “You are sure you can’t stay longer?”

“No, I have to get back to Europe before Monday, especially if I want to return for good by March.” He drew his finger along her neck, tracing the necklace that adorned it, making her suck in her breath. He leaned forward and dropped a light kiss on her pulse point. “I really shouldn’t have come even for the night, but the excuse to come see you was too hard to resist.”

“Sunbae…” His name came out in a shaky whisper. How he loved how she called him _Sunbae_ even now, the way she said it in such an intimate tone only for him. “It’s your brother’s wedding.”

“I know,” he answered, pulling back and dropping a light kiss on her lips not wanting to muss her makeup. “It was the perfect excuse to come visit you.”

“You look absolutely mouth-watering in that tux, by the way.” She stepped back from him, and he could tell how she was changing the subject to re-center herself. He had opted for the classic strict black and white for this event, not adding his usual flair. As she said, it was battle armor after all. His hair was slicked back and he had added one small barely noticeable statement piece, he’d changed out his regular diamond earring for a single one-carat pink diamond stud, just a little unspoken message that he belonged to the girl beside him. 

“Mouth-watering you say?” He pulled her into his body and kissed her, not able to resist those pouty pink lips of hers any longer. “I’ll show you mouth-watering later, Ga Eul-yang.”

Her eyes were huge on his and she touched her lips. “My lipstick?”

“You look like you’ve just been kissed.” He smiled a small sinful smile, his Casanova skills were still strong it seemed. “Perfect, let’s go. I can’t wait to introduce you to my family.”

***

“I don’t understand why we need to sneak out the back door just to take a car to the front.” Ga Eul complained as Yi Jung led her through the hotel staff corridors that snaked out of sight in the background of the luxury hotel.

“Because the media and paparazzi will be stationed at the front,” he explained patiently.

“Isn’t that something to be avoided?”

“No, not anymore.” He stopped for a moment and turned to cup her face. “I need to be seen by the Korean media, I have an exhibit opening up in France shortly. Besides, it’s the only way for me to keep you safe. Trust me.”

“Keep me safe?” She looked at him with trepidation in her big eyes. “We really are going into battle, aren’t we?”

“Yes, but it’s a battle I’ve already won. Just stay close and follow my lead. It will be fine, I promise.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “I’m sorry, Ga Eul-yang, but your life is about to get a bit more difficult.”

He turned, taking her hand again to pull her with him. 

“More difficult? What do you mean?” she asked as they arrived at the limo he had arranged to be waiting for them.

“You’re about to be exposed publically as my girlfriend,” he told her as they got inside for the quick drive around the hotel to the front. 

“Ahh,” she said, breathing out deeply and understanding creeping into her eyes. “Why can’t we stay like we are now?”

He chuckled and picked her hand up to kiss it. “It was going to happen eventually, Ga Eul. Actually, we’re lucky it hasn’t happened already. Besides I want everyone to know you’re mine. This is just a little earlier than I had planned. You’re not a dirty little secret, sweetheart.”

The car pulled up to the entrance, and Ga Eul could see the swarms of reporters there to cover the high society event of the So wedding. Yi Jung could see how she was getting nervous, the way her eyes darted to him for reassurance and her lips opened ever so slightly.

“Showtime,” he said, giving her one of his small intimate smiles to ease her. The driver opened his door as the valet opened hers and he swept around the car to come to her side, the flashing almost blinding him. She was looking a little shell shocked as he took her hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm, placing his opposite hand over it reassuringly and leaned so close to her ear that his breath stirred her hair and whispered, “Just follow my lead, trust me.”

He knew exactly how intimate and loving that looked and could hear the rapid snapping of pictures as the flashes lit them up to his satisfaction. Then the questions started coming.

_“So Yi Jung, are you back in Korea now?” “Have you returned permanently?” “When did you get back?”_

He answered them with his charming smile. “I’m just here for my brother’s wedding.”

_“What about your work?” “Rumor is that your hand was ruined, can you comment on that?”_

“I have a new exhibit opening in Paris shortly, so as you can see any rumor about my hand is just that. I have been working in Sweden for the past few years to perfect some new techniques, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. I plan to bring my work back to Korea shortly after that.”

_“Who is the girl with you?” “We don’t recognize your date?” “Are you going out with her?”_

“My girlfriend,” he told them, letting a proud smile lift his mouth and he pulled her closer. “Miss Chu Ga Eul.”

_“How long have you been dating?” “How did you meet?” “What does she do?”_

“We’ve been dating for how long, darling?” He looked down at her lovingly and asked. She looked back up at him with huge eyes, her lips parting slightly. He decided to count their fake dates as real. “Ah right, for well over five years now, seriously for four. We met almost six years ago. She’s a kindergarten teacher.”

With that, he swept her into the entrance and away from the media. Her little hand was trembling on his arm, and she had a small smile glued on her face, hiding how scared she was. He took a moment to soothe her. “Good girl, that is over with now.”

“That was… an experience.” 

“Yes, it always is.” He grinned at her. “Don’t worry, it will die down in a few weeks. I’m just sorry I won’t be here to help you weather it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I expect you’ll be hounded for a bit, and expect to see articles about us on social media as well as the regular news channels,” he answered, his eyes holding hers to reassure her. “I’ve made arrangements for a security detail for you.”

“Why did you introduce me now, if you’re not going to be here?” There it was– that disdainful little curl of her lip that he loved which told him her temper was rising. Good, she’d need that before the night was through. “Shouldn’t you have asked me first? Or maybe, you know, give me some warning about this?”

“I didn’t intend to do it now, but something came up much too quickly. Just trust me okay.” They had reached the huge doors leading into the wedding venue now. “The ceremony is about to start, and then we’ll have to get through the reception. We aren’t in the clear yet.”

He could tell that every eye was on them as they made their way down the aisle to the front of the venue where the family was to sit. There was a little buzz amongst all the high society guests about the return of the prodigal son, the gifted So heir Yi Jung and about the girl that none of them recognized on his arm. The gossip was going to be fierce over the next few weeks, he thought. 

At the front, his parents were waiting with his grandfather. His mother was looking at him, a polite smile pasted on and a mix of happiness at seeing him and confusion about his appearance on her pretty face. That was expected, he hadn’t told her he was coming after all. His father wore an amused smirk, clearly recognizing Ga Eul from that dreadful dinner when he had offered her to him, and his Grandfather was glowering, but hiding it from the guests. Only someone who knew him well would be able to read the icy fury in his eyes, the same icy fury that Yi Jung’s eyes would get when he was angered.

Behind his parents, much to his relief was seated his friends, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin. They had brought Jan Di as he had expected and to his surprise hanging off Woo Bin’s arm, a huge cheerful grin on her face was Ha Jae Kyung, Jun Pyo’s ex-fiancé. Ji Hoo had his small smile on his face and he gave him a little nod as they passed and Woo Bin just grinned widely, his eyes telling him that they had his back. Jan Di and Ga Eul smiled at each other as they slid into the pew right in front of them where his family was seated. Good, his allies were all here. Only Jun Pyo wasn’t, but Yi Jung had noticed his sister, Gu Jun Hee was there with her parents to represent the Gu’s. She would be another valuable ally.

“You came,” his grandfather hissed at him quietly.

“It is my brother’s wedding,” he answered calmly, and he looked at the front meeting his brother’s eyes and gave him a little smile and wave. Il Hyun smiled back, his eyes filled with emotion and showing how happy and surprised he was to see his little brother there. Yi Jung felt a twinge of guilt, he should have told Il Hyun at least that he wouldn’t miss it for the world. “Of course I came.”

The music started indicating the wedding was started, making any further conversation impossible. 

Eun Jae came down the aisle on her father’s arm, and she was stunning in an ivory gown covered with Baccarat crystals. Her eyes were only on Il Hyun, her smile beaming at him, and Yi Jung found himself happy about that. He loved her still, he would always love her. She was his childhood friend and his first love, and he wanted nothing but a wonderful life for her. They were good together, his brother and his first love. This was right, this was perfect.

Ga Eul squeezed his hand, comforting him. She knew how much he had loved Eun Jae and he was sure that sometimes she still wondered if she was just a replacement for her. He squeezed her hand back and looked down at her, giving her a small smile to tell her he was alright. He leaned over for a moment and whispered in her ear, “I love you.”

He watched as her eyes lit up, her lips slipping into a small smile matching his. She shifted slightly closer to him, her small form warm against his. He had loved Eun Jae as a boy, with all the cocky nonchalance of his youth which is why he so thoughtlessly drove her away. He loved the girl beside him as a man, with intensity and passion and fierce possessiveness. He couldn’t imagine being with any other woman, she had inspired him into being devoted and faithful to her and only her. She was his once in a lifetime.

***  
The reception was elegant and opulent at the same time, like all the society events that Ga Eul had been invited to due to her closeness with the F4. The hall it was held in resembled what she imagined a fairy wonderland would look like, purple wisteria twined with small fairy lights hung from the high ceiling, the décor was whimsical and refined all at the same time. The guests were scattered throughout and as Yi Jung made his way through the hall he was stopping and saying a few words here and there, introducing her with a charming smile on his face. The ease with which he moved through the high society guests was awe-inspiring, he really was in his element here, she thought.

She was grateful for the fact that he never left her side, keeping one hand nestled in the small of her back in a rather possessive way to guide her, but she found that small point of warmth at the base of her spine comforting as if he were protecting her. She copied his smile, keeping her clutch in one hand and her other hand holding her own wrist, forcing herself to relax and nod politely.

She could see how their eyes would sweep her up and down, evaluating her from the tips of her new Manolo Blahnik shoes over her designer dress and resting momentarily at the cluster of gems at her neck before meeting her eyes. She was ever so grateful that he had hired a stylist for her and had bought her the outrageously expensive clothing she was currently wearing. She was being judged and was dreading that they would find her wanting.

At least, Jun Pyo’s sister Gu Jun Hee smiled kindly and warmly, taking her hand and making it apparent to any onlooker that they knew one another. “So lovely to see you again, Ga Eul. It’s been a while, no? When was the last time? The horse race, the race car track, or the swim meet? Well, regardless it’s been far too long.”

Ga Eul smiled gratefully at her and managed a bit of small talk, but Madame Gu’s sharp stare made her feel unsettled, and she noticed how her black eyes flicked to her necklace and back to her face before she seemed to sniff dismissively. Only the warmth of Yi Jung’s hand on her back and his closeness kept her feeling grounded.

Finally, they came across their friends and Ga Eul breathed a big sigh of relief. 

Jan Di grabbed her hands excitedly. “You look awesome, Ga Eul.”

“Yes, very lovely,” Ji Hoo gave her his sweet flash of a smile. “It’s a bit overwhelming isn’t it?”

Woo Bin reached out and flicked the crystals at her throat. “Well, that’s a statement isn’t it?”

Yi Jung slid his arm around her waist and shot a warning glare at his best friend. “What do you mean?”

Woo Bin just grinned and winked before turning his attention to her. “You do look beautiful, kitten. You’ll save a dance for me, right?”

At that moment, a hyper Jae Kyung showed up holding a couple of drinks and pressed a glass of Champaign into her hand. “Here you are, Ga Eul!”

“Yo, that was for me.” Woo Bin complained, but he didn’t look too upset.

“Thank you Unnie,” Ga Eul said gratefully, taking a sip and feeling the bubbles tickle her nose before Yi Jung took it from her and handed it to Woo Bin.

“Sunbae!” she exclaimed, startled at him taking her drink away just when she was beginning to relax.

“We still have to greet my parents and grandfather, as well as the bride and groom,” he said firmly. “No drinking until later.”

She looked down, suitably chastised, and he leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Besides, I want you to stay up _all night long_ Ga Eul- _yang_.” Her stomach fluttered at the way he drew out her name with the yang on the end, making it sound totally erotic and her eyes flew to him and she could feel a blush rise on her cheeks. He just gave her his panty-melting smile before addressing their friends. “We have to greet my brother and Eun Jae now. We’ll circle back in a bit.”

He then took her hand and led her right into what she would later think of as the lion’s mouth. The bride and groom stood at the head of the room with Yi Jung’s parents and grandfather. The latter stood there, looking intimidating and domineering, his black eyes were ice-cold as they rested on her.

Eun Jae smiled and hugged Yi Jung, and then her, thanking them for coming, and Il Hyun greeted her pleasantly, his eyes warm and curious as he looked at her.

Yi Jung’s mother was cautiously polite and his father had a smirk on his face, his eyes bright and knowing.

“Ah, Ga Eul, we meet again,” he said, a note of provocation in his voice and she could feel Yi Jung tense beside her.

“Oh, Yi Jung has already introduced her to you, Hyun Sub?” His mother’s voice sounded disappointed.

“Yes, we had a lovely dinner together before Yi Jung left for Sweden. Just the three of us, didn’t we Yi Jung?” So Hyun Sub said. “It was very… memorable.”

Ga Eul could feel Yi Jung’s fingers tighten on her hand. “It was.” He managed to grind out, his own eyes icy on his father for a moment before he turned them on his grandfather. At that moment, Ga Eul could see how much Yi Jung and his grandfather resembled one another as they both had the exact same eyes of black ice as they stared at each other. So Yoon Hee then turned those imperious black eyes on her, sweeping up and down her body as his lip lifted ever so slightly, making her feel as if he deemed her insignificant.

“I see my grandson has decked you up well beyond your class,” he said, his voice cold. Yi Jung tensed beside her, his grip on her hand becoming even firmer. “I understand you are a kindergarten teacher?” He made it sound as if being a teacher was akin to being a bug.

“Yes, I am.” Ga Eul stuck her chin slightly higher, she was proud of the job she did. “I teach kindergarten at Shinhwa Elementary.”

“That seems like an interesting hobby,” Yi Jung’s mother inserted, her eyes kind. Her brows came together in slight confusion. “Chu? Do I know that name? Which family are you from? How do you know my Yi Jung?”

“Ga Eul is my girlfriend, Omma.” Yi Jung stated calmly. “We’ve been going out for a very long time. This is the first chance I’ve had to introduce her to the whole family. She’s the reason I went to Sweden, to recover from my accident and reach my full potential. Please, be welcoming to her.”

Eun Jae put a light hand on her new mother-in-law’s arm and gave her a gentle smile. “Omma, Gau Eul is a wonderful girl. I’ve known her for years myself. You’ll love her.”

“I want you to know how deeply happy I am for the two of you, hyeong.” Yi Jung said breaking the tension and addressing his brother, a real smile on his face. 

“Thank you. I’m so very glad you were able to make it,” Il Hyun said, a big grin on his face.

“Congratulations, Eun Jae, if my brother gives you any trouble come see me.” He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I always knew you’d make the most beautiful bride. Be happy.”

“Thank you, Yi Jung.” Eun Jae leaned into her new husband’s side and Il Hyun wrapped his arm around her.

“It’s almost time for the speeches, no? We’ll take our seats. Eun Jae I hope you’ll save a dance for me later.” He tucked Ga Eul’s hand back into the crook of his arm and she could feel how tense his muscles were under her touch. He pulled her slightly tighter to his side and placed his other hand over hers possessively. “Omma, you are well it appears. I enjoyed seeing you and Il Hyun.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you,” Ga Eul chimed up, pasting a sweet smile on her face.

“Yes, I hope to see you sometime in the future, dear.” Yi Jung’s mother said. She had a speculative look on her face which she hid behind her polite smile.

“You will,” Yi Jung said with a gentle smile at her. “I plan to be back within the next few months and I’ll make sure you have plenty of opportunities to get to know my Ga Eul, Omma.”

He turned a look to his grandfather that Ga Eul couldn’t read. “As you know, halabuji, we’ve already discussed this at length. You can try any move you want now, but there is one more thing to say on my part. Checkmate.”

“I see.” The So chaebol said, his tone flat.

With that Yi Jung guided her back to where their friends were grouped, leaning into her on their way. “Battle over, sweetheart. We can relax now.”

“Did we win?” Ga Eul felt breathless, there had been some kind of silent war going on between the So’s, one that she wasn’t privy to understanding.

“Undoubtedly,” he said, sending her a sinful little smile. “But then, I had won before we even stepped foot in this place. This was my victory dance. We will stay a little, eat a little and disappear.”

“Disappear?” She looked at him with confusion. “Leave early?”

“Ga Eul-yang, I’ve already told you I’m only here for tonight and that I don’t plan on letting you sleep during it.” He sighed dramatically and raised an eyebrow suggestively at her, giving her his most seductive smile.

“Oh…” She blushed, realizing what he meant. Then she shot him a wide grin. “How soon can we leave then?”  
***

The wake-up call from the concierge woke Yi Jung up late the next morning. He was tangled up with Ga Eul, who slept through the call. He had her tucked into his side, her head resting on his shoulder and her arm around his chest and a leg slipped in between his while he held her close with one arm. He had slept with many, many women in his life, but never had he spent the night with them curled up into his body. On the extremely rare occasion of him actually spending the entire night with one, he had always ensured his own space, not feeling the need to continue physical contact after he had fucked them. With Ga Eul, he always slept keeping her enfolded in his arms or spooned around her, nestled close so that they were touching all night long.

He carefully disentangled himself in order to not wake her. He had kept her up all night making love to her until the grey light of dawn filtered into their suite, only allowing her to doze long enough to recharge here and there during the night. After all, he could sleep the entire 10 hours back to Sweden, and in just a few more weeks he’d be home for good. He’d be able to sleep in with her cuddled up beside him every night, be able to pick her up from work and take her for dinner just on a whim, or grab her for a quick weekend jaunt to go skiing or to the beach. He longed to cook dinner for her in his own home and sit down to eat breakfast with her dressed only in one of his t-shirts, just like the one she had worn while visiting him in Sweden. No more weeks and months of longing to touch her, or not being able to watch her face when she thought she was unobserved, her thoughts and expressions showing on it in the most delightful of ways.

He stretched once he was free from her body, sitting on the edge of the bed. Damn, why did he make it such a fast trip? Surely he could have stayed one more night, he thought, looking down at the girl slumbering in his bed, her body now curled up like a kitten wrapped in a thin white sheet, her dark hair fanning out over the pristine white pillow. He quickly reached for his phone and snapped a picture for himself. He loved how she looked right now, so fully ravished and exhausted from his lovemaking. He felt a swell of pure male satisfaction at just the sight of her sleeping there.

He quickly took a shower and got dressed in the clothing he had laid out the day previously. He wouldn’t bother packing, his assistant would come into the hotel suite after he was gone and collect anything he left behind. He returned to the bedroom and noticed something sparkling on the dim floor. Ah, the necklace. He picked it up and pocketed it, he’d hand it to the concierge for his assistant to collect. He knew that Ga Eul would be horrified if she found out its value and would be afraid to take it home. He would keep it along with the matching earrings in safeguarding until he could coax her into wearing it again. It did belong to her now after all, even if she didn’t realize it.

He smiled at the memory of the night before when he stripped her dress off her and left her standing before him in just her lacy black bra and panties and that necklace blazing its pink fire around her neck. It was so fucking sexy that he was getting aroused by just the mental vision of it. He glanced at his watch. He was almost out of time.

“Ga Eul, sweetheart,” he whispered, leaning over her and running his hand down her smooth back. She was so delightfully warm from sleep. “Ga Eul-yang, wake up for a minute.”

She rolled a frown on her pretty little face and batted at him, making him smile. 

“Don’t you want to kiss me goodbye, Ga Eul-yang?” He whispered in her ear, teasing her hair.

“Huh?” She blinked sleepily up at him, confusion in her eyes. She rolled and burrowed into his lap, her arm around his waist.

“Sweetheart, my flight is soon. I have to leave,” he coaxed her awake, as he ran his hand through the heavy silk of her dark hair.

“Don’t go,” she mumbled sleepily, tightening her grip on him. “Stay.”

“I wish I could, but I can’t.”

She finally sat up, pushing her hair back and the sheet slipped down to her waist revealing her breasts. “Sunbae…” She reached for him, tangling her arms around his neck and he loved the feel of her warm naked body against his fully clothed one, it was so freaking erotic.

“There is no check out time for the suite, so sleep as long as you want before you leave. I’ve arranged for room service for your breakfast and a driver to take you home later, okay sweetheart.” He nuzzled her hair as he held her close, not wanting to let her go.

“Okay,” she tucked her head into his neck. “I don’t want you to leave yet.”

“I know, but I have to.” He tilted her head up and gave her a sweet loving kiss.

“I love you, Yi Jung.” She smiled at him, fully awake now and a delightful little blush on her cheeks.

“Honestly, I have no idea how you can still blush with me.” He laughed gently and smoothed her hair. “I’ll be back before you know it, sweetheart.”

“Good luck with your exhibit, Sunbae.” He could see how she was putting on a brave smile, refusing to let him see how sad she was with his departure. 

“I’ll call you when I get there.” He gave her one last lingering kiss, and left, pausing just briefly at the door to gaze back at her. “I love you too, Ga Eul. Never forget that.”

***  
Chairman So Yoon Hee gazed wearily at the open screen on the laptop in front of him. On his desk were scattered newspaper and magazine articles all screaming the same headlines that could be found on the internet.

_So Heir returns, a new exhibit named after his girlfriend coming!_

_Korean Cinderella Story – So Heir dating kindergarten teacher!_

_Kindergarten teacher has been dating So Yi Jung, the heir to the So fortune for over 4 years!_

_New exhibit by So Yi Jung, dedicated to his long-time girlfriend, a simple kindergarten teacher at Shinhwa’s exclusive elementary school. Read how they met with pictures of their romance._

The burn was that those pictures that he had ordered taken to blackmail Yi Jung to leave said kindergarten teacher had been leaked to the press and used to support how long their relationship had been going on for. The multitude of articles, tweets, and blogs included details of their courtship beginning in Korea, their long-distance romance and vacations over the years, how soon after starting to date the little teacher So Yi Jung had stopped his excessive partying and womanizing and had gone onto Sweden to perfect his art. 

The Korean Media, hell the _International_ Media was eating the story up and was totally in love with little Chu Ga Eul, the sweet girl next door kindergarten teacher who had brought the Korean Casanova to heel. Everyone loved a happy little love story after all.

He felt a sudden pride in the boy. He had thought Yi Jung was like his father, Hyun Sub, although far more artistically gifted. He had been going down the same path of drinking and whoring and So Yoon Hee had thought that his 20 plus years of investment in the boy had been going down the drain just it had with his son. But no, the boy had turned out to be exactly like _him_. Ruthless. Cutthroat in going after what he wanted.

He had severed his finances from the So fortune and was now obscenely wealthy in his own right, had become an even more brilliant artist, a charismatic and shrewd businessman, and had played the media like a fiddle to achieve his goal. He had become fully independent _before_ the age of twenty-five. His single-minded determination to win was inspiring. Yes, he had lost to his grandson, and for some reason, he found it most satisfying.

He’d allow him his prize, indeed he had no choice now. The boy had played and won. If that dreadfully common and tacky girl is what he wanted he could keep her, he wouldn’t be challenging him on it anymore. Yes, he was angry at being outplayed, outmaneuvered, and losing. But mostly he was proud and satisfied. He hadn’t made a mistake when he had made Yi Jung his heir over his son and his firstborn grandson. Yi Jung was just like him, and he knew that he would be leaving the So fortune with its vast investment portfolio, multiple subsidiaries and of course the internationally famous Woo Song Museum in the best hands possible.

Checkmate indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiffany High Jewelry – Tiffany has a private collection for the super-rich. Their showroom is in NYC and is accessed by appointment only or can be accessed online in a personal shopping experience, again by appointment only. Each year they debut a high jewelry collection that showcases handcrafted designs that are known for their ‘brilliant design, magnificent gemstones, and superlative workmanship.’ Unfortunately, us plebs can't access it to even take a look. :O


	10. TOMORROW

June 2013 - Korea

_“Absence is to love as wind is to fire, it extinguishes the small and kindles the great.” Roger Debussy-Rabutin_

Ga Eul gathered up her papers and stuffed them into her bag on a Friday afternoon looking forward to the weekend ahead. It had been a difficult week ending with little Kim So Bim throwing a massive tantrum in the final part of the afternoon and her discussion with his very dismissive mother had not gone well. As Woo Bin predicted, chaebol parents were difficult at the best of times.

After So Yi Jung had openly claimed her as his girlfriend in front of not only South Korean High Society but the international media as well, however, there had been an oh so subtle attitude adjustment in how they spoke to her. The parents of her students treated her with some slight deference now, which had been positive since they could be demanding and overly elitist, and usually tried to make it obvious the difference in their social class and status. They seemed to have reluctantly and, likely in their minds temporarily, accepted that their child’s teacher was in the same stratosphere as them, however short-lived it may be.

After a few weeks, or dare she say months, the intense scrutiny of the paparazzi died off, but she still had a security detail which she couldn’t quite get used to. Mr. Won was her bodyguard and driver, and although he was a very nice man it was just plain weird to be followed around or driven _everywhere_. Every time she had brought it up to Yi Jung he had gotten a stubborn look on his face and tightened his lips and told her to just accept that she would be having a security detail for now. He pointed out that they all did, even Jan Di, although most of their security was done from more of a distance and was easily ignored and unnoticed and, dare he say, easy to slip when they were teens. However, they were adults now, very wealthy adults and it was childish to try to sneak away from their security details. As for Ga Eul, well she was just more vulnerable for now even if she wasn’t one of the 1%, but rather for her publicly acknowledged relationship with him, and so her guard would be sticking much closer.

She responded by going out and buying her very first car, a brand new lime green Kia Soul, loving that it not only was Korean made but very affordable as well on her salary. She felt all grown up now with a full-time teaching job, an apartment she shared with Jan Di, and now her very own car complete with monthly payments. The main bonus however was that she wouldn’t be seen being picked up after work by the big black Escalade SUV that all security around the world seemed to think was inconspicuous to drive and could pretend to not notice the constant shadow that followed her now. Today, however her car was in the garage for service and Mr. Won would be picking her up.

She wondered where Yi Jung was right that moment. His new collection of ceramic art had been declared modern masterpieces, and his exhibition in Paris had been exceedingly well received by the art world. Headlines like _So Yi Jung’s new collection shows his incredible grown as an artist, from child prodigy to world-renowned master; So Yi Jung takes back the crown as the world’s most gifted ceramic artist with his moving new collection Autumn_ ; and _Former Korean prodigy So Yi Jung returns to the art world with his first major exhibition in years with a spectacular collection of expressive ceramic pieces_. It had become a whirlwind for him, as his exhibit was moved to show in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the National Gallery in London. She wasn’t sure when he was returning to Korea anymore since his original plan of coming home for March had been stretched and it was now June.

The worst of it was that they had been actually communicating less and less as they both got super busy, her with her still fairly new teaching job and the demands from it and him from his back to back exhibits and all the work and travel that went along with them. Quick phone conversations and texts, rare late-night talks when one or the other was exhausted, but she had to admit they never missed a Sunday FaceTime even if it was just for fifteen or twenty minutes.

Ga Eul absentmindedly tucked her hair behind her ear as she headed out into the main courtyard which was buzzing with the activity of class dismissals, the Kindergarten getting out a good twenty minutes earlier than the rest of the grades at Shinhwa Elementary, partially to help lessen out the pick-up traffic although, to be honest, it was pretty ineffective. The steady stream of nannies, the rare parent, and the multitude of drivers with luxury sedans outside the ornate front gates to the Shinhwa campus was constant, however, the staff responsible for the pick-up had the timing of it down to a science. Ga Eul noticed there was a bit of a crowd backing up the normally chaotic, yet strangely smooth pick-up process as she reached the gates.

She wound her way through the crowd of children and caregivers, saying a word here and a word there with a smile as she made her way to the gate. Finally, she got there and looked out for her own driver, although she found it really embarrassing that the new Kindergarten teacher had her own driver-security there was no avoiding it today. Shading her eyes, she glanced around for the black SUV that looked like every other black SUV that was lined up waiting for their charges. To her surprise, leaning against a bright orange sports car was a very familiar figure.

“Yi Jung-sunbae!” she cried out excitedly, forgetting she was outside her school. So Yi Jung was here. He was actually here. He hadn’t told her he was coming home, this was totally unexpected and explained the crowding as people had slowed to take a look at him and his flashy new car.

“Ga Eul-yang,” he said when she reached him, his sexy little half-smile on his face and he removed his sunglasses so she could see how his eyes were lit up. “Guess when I got in?”

“Hmm, since I’m the first one you’ve come to see Sunbae, I’d say this morning?” She grinned happily up at him.

“One hour ago, sweetheart,” He pushed up from where he had been lounging against his car and pulled her to him for a sweet kiss. “God, I’ve missed you.”

“Me too,” she said as she hugged him, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms and the warmth of his hard body. “I’ve missed you too. Are you back for good?”

“Yep,” he answered, pulling open the door of the car for her.

“Yi Jung-sunbae, is this a new car?” she asked once they were both seated as she looked around the interior of the car. It was definitely not the Lotus and it had that lovely smell of new car and leather. “What happened to the Lotus?”

“Ah, that. Well, I bought myself new cars and had them delivered before I came back home.” He shot her a grin. “I couldn’t have my girlfriend driving a newer car than me after all, and I couldn’t wait to drive this one so I had my assistant bring it out to the airport.”

“Cars, Sunbae? As in plural?” Ga Eul looked at him with wide eyes.

“This Porshe 218 Spyder is to replace the Lotus. I wanted to get with the times, and it’s a hybrid using electric motors as well as a V8 engine without impacting performance.”

“So it’s an eco-sports car? When did you get environmentally concerned Sunbae?”

“It is 2013, sweetheart,” he answered, shooting her another grin. “And, I’ve been living in Sweden for four years, the most sustainable country in the world. Let’s just say some things have rubbed off on me. Besides, all this power, performance, and technology doesn’t come cheap.”

“I’m afraid to ask.” She poked around the new interior. “What did you do with the Lotus?”

“Left it in Sweden with the apartment. If I go back it will be there for my use.”

“What other cars did you buy?”

“Well there is a Caddy CTS for my driver and I’ve got a Lexus LX 570 for my own enjoyment. I also own the Cadillac Escalade your security uses as well as a couple for my own. Eventually, I plan to move the entire fleet to hybrids.”

Ga Eul knew better than to ask if he really needed so many cars, she already knew the answer. “Where are we going Sunbae?”

“We are going to check out my new home,” he answered with a wide grin and she was sure her heart skipped a beat at the honest happiness he had showing on his face. “I haven’t been there yet, so I’m looking forward to seeing it for the first time with you.”

“Never seen it?”

“Yep, it was built while I was gone. It’s a two-story penthouse in a new building, paid for without using the family funds. I have limited the staff to day staff only, and none on weekends. I’ve gotten used to living without a huge household staff while in Sweden.”

“Day staff only?” Ga Eul had a hard time understanding why he needed any staff at all, other than a house cleaning service, but he had had a similar staff in Sweden so she knew what to expect, servants around during the day, but the evenings and weekends would be private unless he retained the staff for special occasions during those times.

“Yes, the mansion is fully staffed 24-7, but I decided against that for my own place. I want my privacy at night and on the weekends, so I just have a housekeeper, chef, and a few maids. That doesn’t count my assistant and office staff or my security and driver.”

“Chaebol,” she teased, lifting her lip at him. Yi Jung just laughed. They were both happy just to be together after so many months. The last time they had seen each other in person had been at his brother’s wedding.

“You wouldn’t understand, commoner.” He teased back.

“Did you keep the studio?” Ga Eul asked. “And where is your office?”

“The studio belongs to the family, but yes I intend to still use it. I’ve been allotted office space at the museum, my grandfather is reluctantly beginning to shift some of the responsibilities to me.” He reached out and took her hand, looking over at her. “I guess I’ve grown up too, Ga Eul-yang.”

“Well that’s good, isn’t it? It’s what you always wanted. I mean, other than to work on your art.”

“Yes, I also have a small studio in my new condo for those nights when my imagination takes over and I just need to create something right away.”

“You’ve planned it all out.”

“Mmmhmm.” He pulled into the new tower that Ga Eul was somewhat familiar with, So-Song Tower.

“This is Woo Bin’s new building,” she said. “You bought into his condo project?”

“Sweetheart, I half bankrolled this project. It’s a joint investment.” He grinned again at her. She should have realized from the name that Woo Bin’s condo project was also Yi Jung’s, but for some reason, that whole connection just skipped her. She knew it was a very exclusive building with a 24-hour concierge and valet parking and luxury amenities built with state of the art technology for sustainability.

“Ah, from what I’ve seen it’s pretty upscale. I haven’t actually been on site, but he has shown me pictures,” she took in the unground garage with wide eyes, it didn’t look like any underground garage she’d ever been in. Rather than being dim and grey, it was bright and light with wide parking spots that had lights over them. He pulled into an area where it scanned a bar code on his windshield and a large garage door opened taking him into a whole new garage area.

“What is this? Why do you have a separate garage inside a garage?” Ga Eul asked. 

“Do you think I’m going to park my cars in an unsecured area?” He raised a brow at her as he parked. 

The garage had two sides, with room for about eight cars on each and two elevators at the end. One side had a dark red Caddy and a silver Lexus parked on it and the other was empty. “This side is mine, Woo Bin’s is the other. He hasn’t moved in yet, but will be soon.”

“Woo Bin’s? Seriously? You two made a private garage in this condo building for yourself?” Ga Eul gave a snort. 

“Of course, we decided to share,” He got out, coming around to open her door. “The elevators are private. We each have a condo taking up the very top two floors, half each. They actually mirror each other. I’ve only seen the diagrams and plans but I should have about 1000 square meters of my own.”

Ga Eul’s mouth dropped open. “That is the size of a mansion, Yi Jung!”

“I intend it to be my permanent home. Of course, it’s big enough for my needs.”  
Yi Jung led Ga Eul to the elevator on the end of the garage on the side where all his cars were parked. There was a security keypad and he placed his thumb on it before typing in a code.

“I’ll get your thumbprint later, so you access the condo as you want.” He told her as the doors opened. “The numerical code is 288866.”

“Hah… you don’t use a key?” Ga Eul asked, smiling to herself. 288866 was the numerical code for Autumn in English. It was flattering that her boyfriend set the security code after her own name.

“Nope, thumbprint, and numerical code. The whole place is also monitored by security.” He pressed the top button on the panel inside the elevator. “The floors are marked; garage, lobby, common area, my condo, and the top one is the rooftop which I share with Woo Bin.”

“What’s on the rooftop?” Ga Eul asked.

“It’s a private rooftop garden and terrace with a pool, we really have no need to use the common area one,” he answered, and gave her a little grin. “It can be used for entertaining as well as for private use.”

“You two have really created a little F4 chaebol oasis here haven’t you?”

The elevator doors opened right into a large airy vestibule from which Ga Eul could see the two-story floor to ceiling windows providing a spectacular view of Seoul across a huge expanse of glossy dark hardwood floors and soaring ceilings. On one side of the wide entrance space there were cubical shelves that were backlit with frosted glass and beautifully displayed in each was a ceramic work of art carefully illuminated to show it at its best. At the end of the entrance, the space opened into a massive living room with a gas fireplace against the glass window so you could see it from the exterior as well as the interior and see the skyline through the flames. It was beautifully furnished in warm grays and creams and had a grand piano to one side, Yi Jung’s saxophone on a stand beside it.

“Oh my god, it’s stunning!” Ga Eul was turning in the center of the massive space taking it all in. There was a large staircase winding up to a second level and an open entrance to one side from which she could see a formal dining room, the other side had a wide hall leading deeper into the condo. She started to notice little details, like the sofas she had chosen in a soft warm grey or the paint colors on the walls that provided a perfect backdrop for the artwork on them. She was suddenly sure that the kitchen counters would be the creamy Italian marble that she had picked out and the cabinetry would be a dark color mirroring the floor.

She turned to look at him suspiciously. “Sunbae, why do I feel familiar with this condo? This is the condo that Woo Bin-sunbae had me consulting on isn’t it?”

“Ah,” he said and had the grace to look a bit sheepish. “Yes, I wanted your input but I didn’t want you to think of me while giving it.”

“I’m happy, it was a lot of fun.” She grinned at him. “I’m glad I’m able to see it in person.”

“It’s better than I expected,” Yi Jung said. “Come, let’s check out the kitchen.”

He had put in state of the art smart-home features to control energy management and climate, security and access, lighting, window shades and audio-visual and entertainment systems. It was still new and cutting-edge technology, he wanted to stay ahead of the next trends. They played a bit with the system, and Yi Jung settled on some soft modern classical to flute through the hidden speakers to quietly play in the cavernous space before they made their way through exploring his new home and checking out all the rooms. He had an exercise room with a yoga studio, ceramics studio, chef’s kitchen, large formal living space and dining room, a roomy casual lounge for watching shows or playing games, and an office on the first floor. Upstairs were four bedrooms including a huge master suite with a private terrace and a massive walk-in closet which Ga Eul found herself poking around.

“Seriously Sunbae, you have more clothing than a girl,” she said, teasing him as she took in the orderly and masculine room that had a sitting area and a floor to ceiling three-way mirror. His shirts and suits were arranged by color on one side and his more casual clothing on the other. One end was a wall completely of shoes and in the center was a counter with drawers and a glass top through which she could see his multitude of ties and pocket squares rolled up each in its own little cube on a tray, the same with his watches and his assorted accessories such as sunglasses, cufflinks, necktie clips, and jewelry. “It’s really unbelievable, and I thought your walk-in closet in Sweden was huge. This one is bigger than my whole bedroom.”

“Come, Ga Eul,” he said, gesturing her towards another door. 

The room was another dressing room, similar to the first but feminine and done up in light colors, complete with a built-in vanity. The shelves and rods were empty except for a single dress, the one he had bought her for his brother’s wedding. He had told her to leave everything at the hotel and she had, including the designer dress not really knowing what to do with it. 

“This is…” she started, but her words trailed off as she took it in, it had the same kind of glass-topped cabinetry down the center of the racks and she could see displayed in one the pink crystal necklace and earrings she had worn to that event as well. “I mean…”

“Hmmm, look here,” he showed her the jewelry cabinet that had a thumb pad discreetly hidden on the side. “It’s armored glass and opens with a thumbprint. I’ll be adding yours to all the security here as well.”

“Does that really need that kind of security?” She looked at him with wide eyes.

“Yes, sweetheart. It’s an over hundred and forty thousand dollar pink diamond necklace and matching earrings,” Yi Jung answered and bit back a laugh at the way her eyes bugged out and her face went white. “It belongs to you, and I plan to give you more.”

“Yi Jung-sunbae!” She looked horrified at the thought, and he couldn’t help chuckling. “That is crazy!”

“Ga Eul-yang, I can more than afford a few baubles for you and I intend to spoil you a bit.”

“That is _not_ a bauble,” she said, her voice admonishing. “And why did you have this room made?” 

“Isn’t it obvious, Ga Eul-yang?” He turned her around to face him, taking her hands in his. “I want you to be the one to fill it up. Move in with me.”

“Sunbae! You’ve been back less than a day and we’ve barely dated!”

“Honestly…” Yi Jung was baffled. Barely dated? What the hell? “Ga Eul-yang what do you call the last four years? What do you call the times we’ve met for vacations? Or the fact you spent last summer with me in Sweden?”

Ga Eul got flustered and blushed, her eyes darting around the room before they settled back on him. “Umm, a long distant-relationship?”

“Yes, it was. It is also a very _long-term_ and _intimate_ relationship,” he purred in her ear as he pushed against the counter closing the distance between them. “Wouldn’t you say that we’ve been apart more than long enough?”

“I can’t just move in just like that!” Ga Eul pushed against him weakly, not really wanting him to back up. It really had been far too long since they had touched, and she could feel her core start to heat and her skin flush with his closeness, his hard body brushing hers and his scent surrounding her. “I mean, Jan Di is depending on me for half the rent.”

“Keep paying the rent, Ga Eul-yang.” Yi Jung started to place soft kisses along her jaw, saying a word between each one. “Please. Move. In. With. Me.”

Ga Eul could feel her knees weaken as he trailed soft kisses down her neck. “I can’t think…”

“Good,” he said, picking her up and placing her on the counter and inserting himself between her legs. He pulled her head down to his and placed their foreheads together and looked into her eyes. “There is nothing to think about.”

He captured her lips in a deep kiss. He could feel the moment she gave in to him, her lips softening and her hands raking through his hair to hold him to her as he boxed her in on the glass cabinet. He pulled back and cradled her cheek with one hand. “Please, sweetheart. I want to wake up every morning with you, and crawl into the same bed every night.”

“I’ll consider it…” She dropped a kiss on his lips. “I mean, I can keep the apartment and stay here part-time.”

“Give her six months’ notice, and spend every night here,” Yi Jung said, kissing her deeply.

A sudden erotic fantasy took over him as he caught sight of the mirrored sitting area behind her. He slowly led her over to the small sofa that sat facing the three-way mirror as he kissed her, running his hands over her body and discarding pieces of their clothing as they went, his jacket and vest first, then unzipping her skirt and allowing it to pool on the ground making her step out of it, his belt, her stockings. When he got to his destination he sat, pulling her down on his lap, and trailing kisses and small bites down her neck and chest, allowing his hands to rediscover her body as he undid the small buttons down the front of her blouse. She was always like unwrapping a gift, he thought as he slowly exposed her skin. She never dressed in a skimpy _let's show everything_ way, but was sweetly and subtly sexy in her clothing choices. Only after removing the layers did one get to the prize underneath.

“Sweetheart, turn around,” he told her, as he moved her so her back was against his front and she was facing the mirror. Her eyes were dark and dazed and her lips kiss swollen in their reflection, his hands sliding up her body and over her ribs until they reached the lace cupped curves of her breasts. “I want you to watch.”

Ge Eul took in her breath sharply as she watched his dark hands explore her body as she sat on his lap, her blouse unbuttoned and only her little bra and panties on. Yi Jung rested his chin on her shoulder and their eyes met in the mirror. He had the most sensual knowing smile on his face as he tweaked her nipples through the lace of her bra and slipped a hand into her panties. “Just keep watching, I want to see everything.”

She stirred restlessly against his hands as he expertly played with her body. God, it had been too long, she reached one arm over her shoulder to cradle his head and let her eyes drift shut as she lost herself in the sensation of his hands. His hands stilled suddenly and she moaned in protest her eyes flying open. 

“Keep your eyes open, Ga Eul-yang,” he ordered, his voice firm, but husky with his own need. She could feel him hard against her behind and she squirmed against him making him clench his teeth. He quickly raised her hips and slipped her panties off, pushing her legs on either side of his so she straddled him and opened her so he could see her glistening pink petals in the mirror. She gasped at the move and went to close her legs, but her position prevented that. He slipped his fingers lower, grazing the fluted plump pink petals of her labia as he nipped and suckled her neck, his eyes never leaving the mirror. Her entire body was open to him, completely his to play within this position, and he wanted to play.

Ga Eul was lost to his touch as he played with her body, one hand cupping her breasts and teasing her nipples and the other strumming her clit making her writhe on his lap, unable to stay still. She looked totally wanton to herself in the mirror, her body totally exposed and his dark hands working her. His eyes were black and hot on hers in their reflection and she could feel a twisting coiling in her belly as she submitted to his touch. 

“That’s it baby, cum for me,” he coaxed as he plunged two fingers into her slick core, keeping his thumb pressed against her clit. He could tell she was getting close, her eyes glazed and her mouth open as she made small sounds of pleasure. He tweaked and plucked her hard tight nipples in time with the practiced rhythm of his hand and was rewarded as he watched her come apart on his lap, her body trembling in his arms with the force of her first orgasm. God, she was beautiful to watch.

He pulled his hand from her core and quickly removed the rest of her clothing from her. She was laying back against his front her body languid from her orgasm. Yi Jung gently caressed her, arousing her from her lethargy, his hands roaming over her body and slowly building her heat again as he tried to ignore his own throbbing need. When she rolled herself restlessly under his touch and whimpered, he knew she was ready again.

He gently pushed her forward, and she folded over her legs facing the mirror on the ground with her head pillowed on her arms as he quickly stripped off his own clothing before pulling her up, urging her onto her hands and knees as he reached around and strummed her overly sensitive clit with a skillful touch. Within moments she was responding, her body moving with his hand as she whimpered.

He could see all three images of them in the three-way mirror around them as he knelt behind her and he gripped her thick hair in one hand to pull her up into position and force her to watch as he slowly, oh so very slowly sunk into her scalding heat. He settled there for a moment allowing her to adjust to the feeling of his cock deep inside her, her wet heat clenching hard around him.

“Watch me fuck you, sweetheart,” he whispered as he leaned over her, his voice husky with a hard edge. “Keep your eyes on me fucking you.”

Ga Eul made some intangible sound as he started to thrust, slow and hard keeping her exactly where he wanted with his hold on her hair and a firm hand on her hip. He watched in the mirrors as her mouth fell open and her eyes dilated as he set a hard rhythm, withdrawing and sinking back into her scorching heat. Small sounds of pleasure were emitting from that enchanting little mouth, and he found himself speeding up as she pushed back against him. He twisted his hips to push against that rough spot deep inside as he thrust making her hips roll and she started to plead with him, _ahh… there, please… yesss…_

“That’s it, sweetheart, tell me what you want,” he said, curling his lip and gritting his teeth to hold off his own orgasm. It had been to fucking long since he’d last had her. He loved making her speak during sex, it usually took a bit to get her going due to her natural reticence, but once there she was a vocal lover. She was now begging him, _please Sunbae, please, harder, faster,_ and so he obliged and set a fast hard pace pushing her towards completion. Just when he thought he couldn’t hold off any longer he felt her body begin to ripple around him, and he let her hair go to grip her hips firmly and plunged even harder and faster as he pushed them both over the edge. 

He collapsed over her, covering her completely as he gasped for breath, riding out his orgasm, careful not to crush her. When he had recovered he pulled out of her, rolled to the side, and spooned her, wanting to feel her warm body against his. “You okay, sweetheart?”

She snuggled back into him before answering, “Never better, Sunbae, but the floor is hard. Maybe we should move to the bed.”

He grinned as he hugged her to him. “Sounds like a plan, Ga Eul-yang.”

***

Yi Jung woke up in his strange new bed alone, Ga Eul having already left. The combination of jet lag, exhaustion from his whirlwind exhibition schedule, the excitement of returning home and mind-blowing sex after his last six month hiatus had totally wiped him out, he realized looking at his phone for the time. He had slept soundly for a few hours and it was now late in the night. He hadn’t even taken Ga Eul out for dinner, he thought with chagrin. Some gentleman he was, he’d brought his girl here, totally ravished her, and fallen asleep shortly thereafter, lulled by the feel of her in his arms and the soft scent of jasmine her silky skin always emitted.

He rose from his bed and took a moment to stand naked overlooking Seoul from his windows, the night skyline spread out before him with the city lights making it look as if it sparkled. Seoul. He was finally home. The condo had been an excellent idea, he thought as he took in the large master that was comfortably furnished. The automatic blinds had been programmed to lower in the early hours and rise with the sun and let the light in and the space pleased him visually with its clean lines, neutral palette, high ceilings, and airy feeling.

He wanted the art on the walls and placed carefully around the apartment to be the focal points. He had been collecting art for his entire life. As the scion of an art creating, museum owning empire he often was gifted exceptional pieces and he had a passion for collecting on his own and not just ceramics. He loved paintings, textiles such as plush hand-woven carpets scattered on the floors, and sculptures as well. He was also pretty sure that even though Ga Eul had consulted in the original design work, that when she moved in with him she would be filling it with color. Ga Eul _loved_ color as evidenced by her rainbow assortment of coats, her current apartment with its splashes of colorful accents, and her very bright little car, so he expected changes with cushions, throws, and accents would slip in over time.

He decided to go find his missing girlfriend, she wouldn’t have just left without waking him so she must be somewhere in the huge condo. He went into his new dressing room and grabbed a simple t-shirt and a pair of lounge pants and headed downstairs to see where she was. Just the thought of being able to see her whenever he wanted was exciting to him. No more waiting to log on and look through a screen, or checking the time difference before he called her.

He noticed as he went downstairs that she had figured out how to change the music that was softly fluting through the cleverly hidden speakers on the main floor from the classical he had put on the night before to k-pop of all things, the smooth sounds of Bumkey’s Bad Girl filling the space.

He paused when he got to the kitchen taking in the sight of Ga Eul sitting at the counter, papers spread out on it as she hummed to the tune, apparently lost in whatever paperwork Kindergarten teachers had to do on the weekend. She was wearing one of his white dress shirts with the sleeves rolled up leaving her long legs bare and her dark hair fell down her back in a slightly disheveled wave. He watched as she raked a hand through her hair, holding her head up on one elbow as she worked. She was the sexiest thing he’d seen in forever, and he thought his shirt suited her way more than it did him.

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “I missed you, Ga Eul-yang.”

“Oh, you’re up,” she said, turning her head over her shoulder to look at him. “You were tired, so I let you sleep. You must be hungry. Do you want something to eat?”

“Sure,” he said, kissing the top of her mussed head. “You found everything alright?”

She turned on her stool and gave him a soft kiss and he could taste the sweetness of the tea she had been drinking on her lips. “Yes, it was pretty easy. Your staff has stocked up your kitchen well.”

She slipped off the stool, the shirt riding up on her thighs momentarily before slipping back down. Yes, she should definitely wear one of his shirts every day, Yi Jung thought as he watched her slip around the counter and get him some porridge of all things, he thought with amusement, porridge that she had apparently made while he slept.

She noticed his gaze on her thighs. “You don’t mind me wearing your shirt? I don’t have any clothing here, you surprised me at work earlier.” 

Hell, no he didn’t mind. Not in the slightest. He forced his gaze up to her eyes and gave her a sexy little smile. “Why would I mind? You look fucking sexy as hell in my shirt.” 

To his amusement, a deep flush rose over her cheeks. It was incredible to him that after all the times he had made love to her and all the things he had coaxed her into doing in bed he still caused her to blush. She pushed his bowl of porridge across the counter at him. “I just took one from your closet.”

“It’s fine, we’ll go pick up some of your clothing tomorrow.” He really wanted to say _we’ll go buy a whole new wardrobe for you tomorrow_ , but he figured he was pushing his luck if he wanted to persuade her to move in. It would be enough to convince her to accept things like him paying for their living and entertainment expenses and for the couture clothing she’d need when he took her out to society events, she’d definitely draw the line at him giving her a credit card and completely replacing her wardrobe. He’d have to be crafty and sly and slowly sway her to accept what he could offer. Eventually, she’d have her own black Amex in her wallet, it was just a matter of time, but it was best not to spook her with his plans too early. “I didn’t mean for you to cook tonight, sorry.”

“It’s alright, you were tired from traveling.”

“I’ll take you for dinner tomorrow.”

“And I need to pick up my car tomorrow,” she leaned on her elbows on the counter and put her chin on her fists, and he could see right down that damn shirt, but he kept his mouth shut knowing she’d be mortified and he’d lose the view.

“And your car,” he agreed, grinning at her and taking a taste of his food. He was a pervert, no doubt about it now. He was ogling his girlfriend’s nakedness that was fully visible under the dress shirt that she was wearing.

“You’ll need to call your friends as well,” she told him, a smile in her eyes. She was pretty pleased that she was the only one at the moment who knew that So Yi Jung was back in Korea.

“Tomorrow.” What a wonderful word, they would always have a tomorrow together from now on.

***

April 2014 – Korea

Ga Eul was running late. She had opted to not take her car to work that day because Yi Jung said he wanted to meet her after work and take her out for dinner, and two cars just became annoying. On days when they had plans he’d either drop her off at the school or she’d take a driver. Today he was meeting his friends at their old private F4 classroom in the High School building for the afternoon, and he said he was going to come to meet her outside the primary building afterward, well after school was over so she’d have time to finish up her marking before she left so she wouldn’t have to bring it home for the weekend. For some reason, this weekend was important to him, although he wouldn’t tell her why.

They had become even closer since he had returned, and she had finally given in and moved into his penthouse with him the last December, making him wait the full six months before finally agreeing. They had gone through an intense round of negotiation when it came to sharing a home and expenses. It was obvious that he had way more money than she did, so she had to concede that he would carry most of the actual living expenses, such as the costs of maintaining the condo which he already owned outright, the staff, the food, and travel. They did agree that she would cover her own personal expenses of clothing, car payments, although he had a hard time wrapping his head around her need to make a monthly payment with interest on her car when he could just pay it off outright, and her own entertainment, mind you when they were together he refused to ever let her pay a bill. 

The only exception to that was he was allowed to dress her for any society events she accompanied him to, such as charity balls, business parties, and chaebol celebrations which were obligatory for someone with his status. For those occasions he got to buy her couture clothing, designer shoes and expensive jewelry which he said belonged to her and she insisted were still his, she was just wearing them. She figured they never would agree on that, but the lovely refined pieces of expensive jewelry he purchased were in _her_ dressing room in _her_ locked glass cabinet. The massive closet was still sparsely filled compared to his, but it didn’t matter since her things, including a lot of those very expensive designer items he managed to sneak in, had slowly begun to take over the space.

The other agreement was that he would help her invest the money she was saving from her salary since she no longer had housing expenses and they often sat at the two desks he had placed facing each other in the study of the condo while he explained the stock market to her and helped her make investments, or as they worked on their own paperwork in comfortable silence, her on her lesson plans and marking, him on his venture capital, private equity and hedge funds, his asset portfolios or management of the museum. 

It was a whole new language she was learning through him, the language of the money management of the top 1%. It was a complex and detailed world that involved not just himself, but a team of lawyers, accountants, and money managers. Under his tutelage, she was growing her own small– _extremely small in comparison to his_ –portfolio of financial assets and it made her feel more secure in their relationship. There would always be that huge financial gap between them, but having her own capital and investments meant she wasn’t fully dependent on him, which made her breathe easier.

She checked the time on her phone again, she was running late. Very late. Little Bak Chung Cha had become ill, and Ga Eul stayed with the little girl in the infirmary with the child’s nanny until her mother arrived. She was genuinely concerned and felt the need to talk to Mrs. Bak about how Chung Cha had been tired and listless earlier in the day before she developed a fever.

Finally, she saw Yi Jung, his back half towards to her as he waited outside the school. He was as impeccable as always, wearing a crisp white suit jacket, perfectly tailored black pants, and his signature waistcoat in a soft grey with a dark tie. He always was perfectly put together, ever since she met him, she thought. He never left the house without looking like he had just stepped off the cover of a magazine. She took a moment to admire him and she realized that he was one of those men who just got better looking with age, filling out and broadening and maturing. He was even more beautiful now than she had first seen him so many years ago when they were still in high school.

“Sunbae, I was a little late right?”

He turned to her, his eyes deep and soft, his expression surprisingly serious as if this were the most important moment in his life, then his slightly lopsided sweet smile broke out, almost shyly. His eyes dropped for a moment to the huge bouquet of purple flowers he was carrying before he held them out to her. She could see little polaroid selfies of him holding the flowers scattered among the blossoms, little messages written on them.

“Would you like to be my eternal flower?” he asked her, a sincere little smile on his face.

Ga Eul held herself back from teasing him about being so corny, something in his gaze made her realize he was being serious, that he was asking her something important. Was this a proposal? She reached out and took the flowers from him, reading the little messages amongst them. There were six in total and with each one of them her eyes widened and her heart beat faster. 

_Chu Ga Eul, I love you; Thank you for believing in me; You complete me; You are my once in a lifetime; I'll cherish you for Eternity._ The last one she read said simply _Soulmate._

“Have you found your soulmate, Ga Eul-yang?” Yi Jung pulled a small blue box out of his pocket and opened it holding it out to her, showing her the most beautiful ring. “Will you marry me?”

Ga Eul felt tears well up in her eyes and she smiled at him, a tremulous smile. “Yes, yes, yes. A thousand times yes.”

Yi Jung took the ring and slid it on her finger. It wasn’t overwhelming, being much smaller than the massive diamond that Jun Pyo had given Jan Di upon their engagement. It was delicate but clearly eye-catching on her small hand, the exquisite platinum band sporting a two-carat pink diamond solitaire surrounded by tiny white diamonds.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, and Ga Eul could feel how their hearts beat together in sync, how safe and strong and loving his arms were around her. She had found her soulmate years ago, it had just taken him time to realize it himself.

***

July 2015 – Korea

It was her first anniversary and Ga Eul was currently sitting beside her husband in his flashy orange sports car as he took her out to celebrate. He had proposed in April and they got married in July the year prior, Yi Jung refusing to have a huge society event and opting to sneak away with their friends to New Caledonia Island and elope. He said that Gu Jun Pyo’s huge society wedding was more than enough for the F4 in one year, and he didn’t want to engage his mother’s crazy with his own wedding or risk that his grandfather would do something to sabotage the day, another distinct possibility. Although So Yoon Hee had reluctantly and outwardly accepted Ga Eul as his grandson’s girlfriend, Yi Jung wasn’t sure how he would take her becoming his wife. He did allow his mother to throw them a huge reception after the fact, however, just to make her happy.

Ga Eul was lost in thought as she twisted her engagement ring on her finger, watching as the large pink diamond caught the light. She loved how it made a statement without being too extravagant. He always got her pink, she thought, and it was fitting that her engagement ring was no exception. The most important thing about it however was the engraving on the inside of the band, it told their whole story with just one word. _Soulmate._

She was startled out of her memories when he stopped the car and Ga Eul could see that they were in one of the exclusive private little yacht clubs that the F4 seemed to frequent. So a romantic dinner on a boat it was, she thought with a smile. She waited for him to come around and open her door. He liked doing little things like that, claiming it was his duty as a gentleman. He opened doors, pulled out chairs, walked on the outside while on the street, gently guided her with a hand on her back. He did so many little tiny thoughtful things on a daily basis and always had, she was sure she was quite spoiled now.

“We’re here,” Yi Jung said, grinning at her in excitement and she could see how his eyes were dancing with light. He was strangely practically giddy to be here. The anniversary was important to her too, but he was a bit overly excited for some reason.

“Did you rent a yacht for the night? Or are we using Jun Pyo’s again?”

“Sweetheart, you wound me,” he teased, his dimples flashing. “Why rent or borrow when I bought us one of our own.” 

He gently turned her to face a gleaming white yacht docked to the side. “Happy Anniversary, Ga Eul-yang.”

“A yacht? Seriously So Yi Jung?” Ga Eul exclaimed a look of dismay on her face. 

“Oh, but it’s not just mine, Ga Eul-yang,” he answered a smug smile on his face and his eyes gleaming. “Look at the name.”

“Autumn? You bought a yacht and named it after me?”

“Yes, sweetheart. It’s our First Anniversary gift.” He grinned at the look of stunned disbelief on his wife’s face as he pulled her up the ramp and onboard it. “It’s just a small inexpensive one. Jun Pyo’s has a helicopter pad.”

“By inexpensive you mean what exactly?” she asked, her arms crossed and her lip curled slightly. How he loved when she got just that expression of outrage on her face.

“Only about thirty million US, nothing huge.” He laughed as her eyes bugged out a bit. This never got old. “It’s only 43 meters long.”

“T… thirty million!?” She sputtered out, her hands flailing wildly. “Are you insane, So Yi Jung?”

“No, I’m just a man who loves his wife and wanted a yacht.” He shot her that smile that he knew melted all resistance. “It’s your summer break from school and I’ve booked it off from the museum. We’re going to be sailing the islands of the South Pacific. I promised Jun Pyo we’d make our way to New Caledonia to meet our friends for an F4 vacation in August and we’ll fly home from there. Next summer I’m having it sent to the Mediterranean for our use.”

She just looked at him wide-eyed, still rather stunned and completely adorable looking so he pulled her into a hug.

“Sunbae… I only bought you a tie,” she grumbled sulkily into his chest. That was his Ga Eul-yang, always frugal so he had to spend for both of them.

“As I said it’s for both of us. Come on sweetheart, let me take you for a tour. Let’s start with the master suite,” he coaxed, giving her what she called his panty-melting smile. He was still a former Casanova after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I will post a short (very short) epilogue in the next few days._
> 
> _The proposal scene was actually lifted from F4 After Story Episode 1 - 5 Years Later Boys Over Flowers, which is a 25-minute music drama 5 years after we last saw them at the end of the series created by Mnet, the same company that produced the series in 2009. You can take it as a direct sequel :)_
> 
> _This whole story is dedicated to those who have come through a long-distance relationship. Thank you for reading, and commenting! Merry Christmas._


	11. Epilogue: Going the Distance

_“Can a long distance relationship survive the distance? Yes. And if your relationship can survive the distance it can absolutely go the distance.” Unknown_

July 2019 

Yi Jung was enjoying the glorious sunshine-filled morning on his yacht, thinking about how he was going to spend his fifth anniversary later that evening. All his plans were for after the sun went down, and he had taken a long time to make sure it would be perfect, he was a former Casanova after all and had to keep up with the expectations of his wife. 

Some people might think his plans this year were simple, but he knew exactly what she liked by now and with the logistical nightmare of their current lives, simple would be perfect. Dinner would be late, but blissfully alone on the deck under the stars and by candlelight. The night would be spent in bed, hopefully with no interruptions but that was by no means a guarantee. He sighed, he’d just have to make the best of it. 

His Ga Eul didn’t like expensive gifts, although he did have a lovely long rope of cultured south sea pearls ready, but that was more for him as he wanted to see her naked with just the pearls around her throat and dripping down to her navel, or maybe draped around her waist. He had many fantasies of how he would have her wearing them and how he would use them, their soft creamy glimmer glowing erotically against her skin. Maybe he’d insert them in her fluttering vagina as he orally pleasured her and then slowly pull them out, making sure that each pearl rolled against her aroused clitoris as he used his mouth elsewhere on her body to make her mindless. Then he’d have her wear them roped around her neck to the next society event they were invited to so that every time he looked at her he’d remember how she looked when he fucked her with them, the rest of the guests none the wiser. He shook his head, dislodging his carnal thoughts. This was too early in the day to be thinking of such things.

The smooth breeze off the ocean helped cool him from his steamy imaginings as he lay out on his lounge chair on the deck with an icy drink on one side and a half-read book beside it. He could hear the sounds of the waves against the hull of the yacht, the soft talking of the crew as they sailed the boat towards the south, the clinking in the galley of the chef starting to prepare lunch, and then the sound that he had really been listening for, the reason why he had to put a hard brake on his sexual fantasies, could finally be heard. Fast little footsteps running up the steps and out onto the deck.

Immediately he became alert, they were on a ship at sea after all and even though there were plenty of crew members it wasn’t their responsibility to be vigilant in this case, it was his. He stood up and in two strides swooped up the small body that was in a rush to get to the tiny onboard pool.

“Appa!” her little voice chirped happily, her big brown eyes looked exactly like her mother’s, but when she smiled her little dimples flashed at him.

“Ha Min, where is Omma?” he chastised his daughter. “Little girls aren’t allowed on deck without Omma or Appa.”

“Ha Min!” Sure enough Ga Eul was in hot pursuit of the errant two-year-old, carrying the small life jacket that their daughter had left behind. “So Ha Min! Stop running young lady!”

“I’ve got her,” Yi Jung said, smiling at the sight of his wife of five years come running after their daughter. It was hard to believe that he’d known her for eleven years now, been with her and only her for almost ten of them and she still made his heart skip a beat and stirred his passion. Her body had changed ever so slightly with the birth of their daughter, her curves more exaggerated but she was still so perfectly formed and beautiful. He rather preferred how… lush she was now, how sexy she looked, all sleek lines and soft curves with her dark hair tumbling down her back in a hastily formed ponytail, wearing a thin white coverup over her hot pink bikini. “Slow down sweetheart.”

Ga Eul stopped beside the two of them, her eyes wide with worry. “Honestly, Yi Jung, why did we decide to sail to New Caledonia this year with a toddler?”

“It’s okay Ga Eul-yang, she’s fine. She’s two, not exactly a toddler anymore.” He reached to rub her back, soothing her. “Last year we spent the summer in Sweden and next summer we’ll have to stay home.”

“Iz got my wings on Appa!” Ha Min’s little voice piped up from where he still held her firm in his arms. Sure enough, she had her little pink Disney princess water wings on.

“I see, you do princess,” Yi Jung said, nuzzling his daughter’s fine silky baby hair. “But you scared Omma, you need to be careful.”

“Sorry Omma,” she said to Ga Eul, her eyes big and mournful and her mother’s exaggerated pout on her little sweetheart lips. 

Ga Eul sighed looking at the two of them, her daughter may be the spitting image of her, but she had all her father’s charm and his heart-melting smile. “Ha Min, sorry isn’t good enough. You need to promise not to come out on the deck by yourself.”

Ha Min ducked her head and mumbled another sorry, making Yi Jung chuckle. “Don’t worry Ga Eul-yang, this Appa is being very vigilant and on guard. I had the whole boat childproofed, including safety netting around the sides.”

“She ran off without her life jacket though.” Ga Eul was still not letting go of her anxiety, and she quickly went about putting the small lightweight jacket on their daughter. “You have to wear your life jacket on the boat deck at all times, Ha Min, until you’re at least twenty. We talked about this before we left.”

Yi Jung laughed at that. “Twenty huh?”

Ga Eul curled her lip up at him, ready to berate him in that way that he loved. “I figure the life jacket rules will go along with your dating rules, Sunbae. Makes it really simple for her to remember.”

“Omma, glasses?” Ha Min asked flashing Yi Jung’s winning grin complete with dimples on her little face. Ga Eul couldn’t help but laugh under her breath, Ha Min was exactly like her father when it came to her clothing and accessories. She pulled the small designer sunglasses out of her pocket and handed them to her daughter. Her child may look a lot like her but there was no question she was all Yi Jung’s, she thought as she watched him placed her baby between his legs on the lounge chair offering her a plastic sippy cup of juice with a tiny paper umbrella adoring it making it look like a fancy cocktail. The two of them sat back together, Ha Min leaning on her father’s taunt stomach, their sunglasses concealing their eyes and very in-sync. Figures she had a daughter with a fashion sense that rivaled Yi Jung’s and mannerisms that made her seem exactly like a mini-F4.

She sat down beside them, curving her hand over the slight swell of her belly. “Are you all right, Ga Eul?” her husband asked, pulling his dark glasses down and peering at her over them, his eyes sharp as he scanned her. 

“Yes, don’t worry,” she answered, throwing him a small smile. 

“If it’s too hard for you to sail, we’ll go back to port and we’ll fly to New Caledonia for the summer, sweetheart,” he said, his voice concerned. Yi Jung wouldn’t let his wife suffer in any way and although he really wanted to sail with his small family, if she was not feeling well he’d put his preference to the side. Yi Jung was not what he would consider unselfish by any means, but when it came to his family their needs came first and his wife was currently just past her first trimester with their second child. He would in no way risk her health or of that of the baby she carried.

“It’s fine,” she said, reaching out and taking his hand. “I’m fine, I just was a bit scared when Ha Min ran off like that.”

“You’re not alone Ga Eul-yang,” he said, and he shot her the grin he knew melted her, letting his dimples show. He let his eyes wander over her, and she could see how they still heated up at the sight of her and her pulse started to pick up. How after all these years could he still make her feel like a love-struck teenager with just a look? “Do you want me to call Nanny Lin to join us?”

That was exactly what Ga Eul didn’t want, and she could tell he knew that well by the smirk on his face. “No, we agreed that we’re parenting our own daughter for this trip,” she said, slightly annoyed at him. “Nanny Lin will be meeting us in New Caledonia, let her enjoy her vacation until then.”

Life had gone well for them, Ga Eul thought. They had spent the years before Ha Min came carving out their world, traveling and enjoying being young and rich. They both worked, she teaching Kindergarten at Shinhwa and he slowly taking over the So conglomerate and museum from his grandfather, who had reluctantly accepted her as Yi Jung’s wife. He also worked on his pottery, creating works of art, and often had to go overseas to exhibit them. Ga Eul and Yi Jung were used to separation by now, however, they both didn’t care for it so he never left for more than a week or so at a time unless she was able to travel with him.

Over the years, the small digs at her background or lack thereof had lessened, the Korean elite slowly accepting that she was the wife of the So heir and there was no divorce on the horizon, despite some of their best efforts. She had been called a gold-digger, a common opportunist who had somehow seduced Yi Jung into marrying her, which made Yi Jung laugh at the irony of it. After all, he was the seducer, the Casanova in their relationship, not her. He and the rest of the F4 had closed ranks around both her and Jan Di and made an airtight little group that was even more exclusive than the 1% and slowly the attitudes given to her had shifted into grudging respect, which is all she really wanted from them.

When they had their Ha Min, Yi Jung and Woo Bin had part of the rooftop of the condo redesigned to include a playground area and all the glass walls raised even higher for safety, ensuring there were absolutely no gaps in the high rise terrace. Ga Eul had left her job but remained on the staff list as a supply teacher for Shinhwa Elementary wanting to keep her foot in the door and eventually go back to working full time after their daughter was old enough to go to school herself. With this new baby coming she was thinking she’d have to put that plan off indefinitely, but not forever. She loved teaching and wanted to eventually return to her job at Shinhwa Elementary in another few years.

Ga Eul was looking very forward to this trip to New Caledonia. Jan Di and Jun Pyo would be there with their three-year-old son, Jun Seo. Woo Bin and Jae Kyung were coming, finally officially dating after six or more years of dancing around one another all over the globe. Ji Hoo was bringing a date! A real actual date whom none of them had met so they were all consumed with curiosity. They were scheduled to meet on Jun Pyo’s island in mid-August, so she and Yi Jung decided to take the yacht and revisit the trip they took on their first anniversary.

But today… today was their fifth anniversary, and from the look in her husband’s eyes, he was thinking the exact same thing she was. That it was way too long until Ha Min’s bedtime and nap time just wasn’t going to cut it. She glanced over at her husband and daughter and he was currently helping their child with her cup of juice and a little picture book and they looked oh so perfect to her. He felt her gaze and flashed his panty-melting smile at her, his eyes hidden by his sunglasses.

“Are you thinking about _tonight_ , Ga Eul-yang?” he asked, his voice smooth and sexy. Little Ha Min was of course oblivious to the sudden heat between her parents. “I know _I_ am.”

Absolutely she was. Their sex life was still very active and extremely spicy even after having a child, but she was just past her first trimester and morning sickness had plagued her so they hadn’t been making love as nearly often as they usually did. Luckily it had tapered off as she moved into her second trimester, and she found that her sexual appetite had returned with a vengeance.

“Sunbae!” She decided to chastise him, the color rising on her cheeks. He was making her body quicken by just a look and lowering his voice and he damn well knew exactly what he was doing. She restlessly crossed her legs making him chuckle. He got up, leaving Ha Min happily occupied with her juice and book, and bent over to kiss Ga Eul in a sweet lingering kiss.

“I love you so much, Yi Jung,” she said, looking at him when their lips parted, admiring how beautiful he still was to her. “You were and still are my first.”

“You were my first as well you know,” he teased, shooting her his dimpled grin as he remained braced over her.

“Hah, don’t try to twist me into believing that, you were an infamous player,” she said, laughing up at him. “We both know that you’ve slept with hundreds of women before me.”

“Well maybe not hundreds,” he said, a laugh in his voice. “I think you overestimate my capabilities.”

“My point stands, you are my one and only, and my first.”

“But Ga Eul-yang, you were my first too, in so many ways. You were the first girl to ever challenge me, to make me think about how I was living my life, to actually argue with me, and yes, even reject me. You were my first female _friend_ and my first _real_ girlfriend. You were the first woman I ever slept with forgetting about protection, my first virgin. You were the first person I ever made a promise of the future to, a commitment to. You were the first girl, and might I add the only girl, I’ve ever wanted to live with, to share my life with. You were the first and only woman I ever have and likely ever will truly love as a man.” He wasn’t joking she realized, his face didn’t have his teasing smile and his eyes were serious. “It just took me a while to realize that you were my one and only.”

He kissed her again, a deep loving kiss. "I love you Ga Eul-yang and only you,” he said softly, as he cupped her face and looked into her eyes. “Thank you for not giving up on me back then, for believing in me and for making me so totally yours. Thank you for being my soulmate.”

She smiled at that, he was just so sweet and loving. “You are my soulmate too, Sunbae. Happy Anniversary.”

Yes, life was good for the So family, and would just continue getting even better. They were definitely going the distance and the future was bright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _For travelingnewbie who wanted to see a pregnant Ga Eul._


End file.
